Italy announced their squad for the Six Nations earlier this week with Treviso’s Australian born fly-half, Kristopher Burton, drafted back into the Nick Mallet’s training squad of 24 to replace Craig Gower, who is out with a long-term knee injury.
In good form this season, Burton will contest Brive’s Luciano Orquera for the starting spot at 10.
Elsewhere the other notable absentee is open-side flanker Mauro Bergamasco, who is set to miss the tournament after surgery to an injured shoulder. Sergio Parisse, who missed all of last year’s tournament with a knee injury, is however available again.
In preparation for the World Cup, Italy are fielding a competitive team with some youngsters and experienced players who will play England and Scotland in the coming weeks.
There have been reports in media that Perpignan manager Jacques Brunel is set to coach the Azzurri after the World Cup when Nick Mallett’s contract expires.
The speculation goes further saying that Mallett might apply for the newly created England job as performance director.
Italy’s squad may have some more familiar names for Six Nations fans after their wider exposure in the Magners League this season, especially with Treviso pulling down some big totems along the way. And some of their bigger names such as Castro, Orquera, Canale and Bergamasco have continued to make names for themselves in the English and French leagues: Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester Tigers), Andrea Lo Cicero (Racing Metro), Salvatore Perugini (Aironi), Ignacio Fernandez-Rouyet, Leonardo Ghiraldini (both Treviso), Fabio Ongaro (Aironi), Santiago Dellape (Racing Metro), Carlo Antonio Del Fava, Quintin Geldenhuys (both Aironi), Robert Barbieri, Paul Derbyshire (both Treviso), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais), Alessandro Zanni (Treviso), Pablo Canavosio (Aironi), Edoardo Gori, Kristopher Burton, Luke McLean (all Treviso), Luciano Orquera (Brive), Tommaso Benvenuti (Treviso), Mirco Bergamasco (Racing Metro), Gonzalo Canale (Clermont Auvergne), Gonzalo Garcia (Treviso), Andrea Masi (Racing Metro), Alberto Sgarbi (Treviso).
Whilst their performances in the Heineken Cup have left a lot to be desired, last-placed Aironi are still relishing the Biarrritz feather in their cap they won in Round Two.
All told, the Azurri are likely to take at least one scalp if not two, in this year’s tournament. Weak forward-unit teams such as Ireland, and possibly Wales or Scotland, could be opened up, or more likely ground down.
Added to the Italian beef is a sprinkling of pepper and panache in the backline with Canale, Canavosio, McLean and Bergamasco getting on the scoreboard regularly with a lot more tries this season due to their improved participation at league and cup level. Signs are that they will have more to unleash from their locker than previous seasons.
Last year, Wales and England nearly came unstuck. This year, there may be some real gnashing of foreign teeth to go with some wide Italian smiles.
kovana
Guest
Viscount did you watch any of the 3N matches last year? No offense, but this is why you expand.. You want to grow the game dont you? Why dont we get rid of South Africa too since they pretty much play a 1-dimensional style of play which cost them last year. IMO.. Let the Italians stay. Argentina's first scalp is going to be Australia's in the 2012 4N..Lol
Ben S
Roar Guru
Cor... A mite strong, VC. By and large Italy have been hopeless, but let's be fair - until this season they've had a handful of capable but limited performers ploughing away in the conservative Top 14, and a handful of talents ploughing away in what was a lamentable Super 10 (or Top 10 or whatever it was/is called). Whilst I'm not a fan of Mallett Italy does not have much depth, and so we see big old rotund Perugini with his flabby derby kelly launching flying headbutts at Stringer, pulling that "Me refereee?" face time and time again. Perhaps five years of Magners League participation might see a reduction in SH cannon fodder clogging up Aironi and Treviso and some subsequent progression with the Test side. Who knows? As a last resort we can always consider the amount of time it took France to register tangible progress in the 5N (Yes... I know the comparison probably isn't apt). Agree about Argentina. How many stodge fests have we seen the Argentines indulge themselves in during recent seasons? Watching them launch maul after maul followed by Garryowen after Garryowen will not make for pretty viewing, nor will the endless patronising pro-Argentina drivel perpetuated endlessly by Stephen Jones make for pretty reading.
Viscount Crouchback
Guest
I'm with Ben. The Italians are utterly hopeless and should be booted out of the Six Nations forthwith. It really does spoil the tournament when one of the three fixtures each weeked is so dull and predictable. It's bad enough watching the Scotch, but at least the Jocks have tradition on their side. Incidentally, I suspect that the "Italian problem" will soon be mirrored in the south by an "Argentine problem". The 3N is pretty dull as it is and I rather doubt that 6 canings out of 6 for Argentina each season will make it any less dull. No doubt the "spread the game" zealots will soon be repenting at leisure...
Ben S
Roar Guru
I've caught a few of the Magners games involving the Italian sides on the BBC red button channel, but I've not been overwhelmed. Aironi have played some revolting rugby. Mallett's selection smacks of conservatism, and he's picked players that don't, IMO, seem suited to the current law interpretations. He's just too South African... Yeah, I read about Bowe - maybe a break will do him some good? I love Horgan. He's such a clever and honest player. Still remember his debut as it happens. His comeback would be a great side story to Stringer's return.
Derm
Roar Guru
I recognise what you're saying Ben is probably accurate. However, I thought the players might succeed better this season in spite of Mallet. The first match-up against Ireland in Rome will set the scene - they're at their freshest, albeit the first game. If Ireland can reproduce the ball-in-hand, fast approach running and interplay between backrowers and backline that Leinster have been showing in the League and Cup, they could get overrun. News coming out that Tommy Bowe may be out for 4-6 weeks due to a knee injury. Horgan or Trimble to take his place - both of them in good form at the moment. Kidney might select Horgan to complete a full Leinster backline.
Ben S
Roar Guru
I think Italy have gone backward at a rate of knots under Mallet, Pot, especially in contrast to Scotland. They're just a very, very bad imitation of the Springboks. That Wales have lost Jenkins and Jones might make their Italian Job that much harder, but with the Home Nations looking to throw the ball about a bit there could be a few drubbings IMO. England and Scotland have a reasonably strong scrum, and with men like Richie Gray, Tom Palmer, and Brad Davies looking to carry and off-load the Home Nations have big men able to play a style of rugby that outdated behemoths like Geldenhuys and Del Fava can't.
King of the Gorgonites
Roar Guru
Good to see you back Pots. Hopefully the inclusion of the two Magners league teams will see an improvement in the national team. However, the backline see looks very uninspiring. to win international rugby consistenetly, a team needs to be able to score tries, or at least threaten to. i think that will once again be the Italians problem area.