Italy Rugby World Cup squad – Crowley names 46 players

There are two uncapped England qualified players

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Kieran Crowley has named a 46-man Italy Rugby World Cup squad which includes two new England qualified players in Stade Francais’ Paolo Odogwu and Harelquins’ Dino Lamb.

Centre/winger Odogwu trained with England under Eddie Jones but the Australian never handed the former Wasps man an international debut so he is free to switch allegiance to Italy, who he qualifies for through his father who is half Italian and half Nigerian.

Lock Lamb has impressed for Quins and despite having represented England at U20 level, the 25-year-old – who can also play on the blindside flank – has thrown his lot in with Italy.

However, there is no space for outgoing Gloucester flanker Jake Polledri. The new Zebre back-rower required shoulder surgery after picking up a blow in the Six Nations and has not been considered due to injury.

Italy fans will be delighted to see Ange Capuozzo, who is named despite having missed the end of this year’s Six Nations through injury. There is also a recall for Melbourne Rebels wing Monty Ioane who missed the championship after his return to the southern hemisphere.

Check out who made the cut for the Italy Rugby World Cup squad, below – and see the full list of Rugby World Cup fixtures here.

Italy Rugby World Cup training squad

Prop
Filippo ALONGI (Benetton Rugby, 1 cap)
Paolo BUONFIGLIO (Zebre Parma, uncapped)
Pietro CECCARELLI (Brive, 26 caps)
Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 44 caps)
Danilo FISCHETTI (London Irish, 30 caps)
Ivan NEMER (Benetton Rugby, 11 caps) – available from 1 July
Matteo NOCERA (Zebre Parma, uncapped)
Marco RICCIONI (Saracens, 19 caps)
Federico ZANI (Benetton Rugby, 21 caps)
Hooker
Luca BIGI (Zebre Parma, 46 caps)
Epalahame FAIVA (Hurricanes, 5 caps)
Gianmarco LUCCHESI (Benetton Rugby, 17 caps)
Marco MANFREDI (Zebre Parma, 1 cap)
Giacomo NICOTERA (Benetton Rugby, 12 caps)
Second row
Niccolò CANNON (Benetton Rugby, 30 caps)
Edoardo IACHIZZI (Vannes, 5 caps)
Dino LAMB (Harlequins, uncapped)
Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 41 caps)
David SISI (Zebre Parma, 27 caps)
Andrea ZAMBONIN (Zebre Parma, 2 caps)
Back row
Lorenzo CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
Riccardo FAVRETTO (Benetton Rugby, 1 cap)
Toa HALAFIHI (Benetton Rugby, 9 caps)
Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 26 caps) – captain
Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 46 caps)
Giovanni PETTINELLI (Benetton Rugby, 12 caps)
Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)
Scrum-half
Alessandro FUSCO (Zebre Parma, 13 caps)
Alessandro GARBISI (Benetton Rugby, 4 caps)
Martin PAGE-RELO (Stade Toulousain, debutant)
Stephen VARNEY (Gloucester Rugby, 19 caps)
Fly-half
Tommaso ALLAN (Harlequins, 71 caps)
Giacomo DA RE (Benetton Rugby, 1 cap)
Paolo GARBISI (Montpellier, 24 caps)
Centre
Juan Ignacio BREX (Benetton Rugby, 23 caps)
Enrico LUCCHIN (Zebre Parma, 1 cap)
Leonardo MARIN (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps)
Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)
Luca MORISI (London Irish, 44 caps)
Back three
Pierre BRUNO (Zebre Parma, 12 caps)
Ange CAPUOZZO (Stade Toulousain, 10 caps)
Simone GESI (Zebre Parma, 1 cap)
Montanna IOANE (Melbourne Rebels, 17 caps)
Federico MORI (Bordeaux, 12 caps)
Paolo ODOGWU (Stade Francais, debutant)
Edoardo PADOVANI (Benetton Rugby, 44 caps)

Italy Rugby World Cup squad 2023

This section on the squad selections will be updated with the full 33-man Italy squad as soon as it is officially announced.

Italy Rugby World Cup Pool

Italy have been drawn in Rugby World Cup Pool A alongside New Zealand, France, Uruguay and Namibia.

Sat 9 Sept Italy v Namibia  (Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Étienne)

Sun 24 Sept Italy v Uruguay (Stade de Nice, Nice)

Sat 30 Sept Italy v New Zealand (Ol Stadium, Lyon)

Sat 7 Oct Italy v France (Ol Stadium, Lyon)

The knockout stages will follow the same format as previous years, with teams from Pools A and B then Pools C and D meeting in the quarter-finals. So Wales and England could meet in the last eight, for example.

QF1 – Winner Pool C v Runner-up Pool D
QF2 – Winner Pool B v Runner-up Pool A
QF3 – Winner Pool D v Runner-up Pool C
QF4 – Winner Pool A v Runner-up Pool B

Then the semi-finals will be the Winner of QF1 v Winner QF2 and the Winner QF3 v Winner QF4.

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