Azzurri places all to play for, says coach Berbizier

Italy coach Pierre Berbizier claims that the door is open to any player who wants to represent the Azzurri.

Speaking from Parma, where he is meeting with his backroom staff to finalise plans for the future of the side, Berbizier has announced that a total of 45 players will attend his next training session on August 7 at Treviso.

And Berbizier is adamant that any player who impresses him there could force their way into his starting XV ahead of Test matches with Tonga, Argentina and Fiji in November.

“The 45 players are the equivalent of three rugby teams,” the Frenchman told www.federugby.it.

“The aim of this call up is to confirm the 30 players who played in the last tour (of Argentina and Australia), plus another 15 players, some of whom were absent from the tour due to injuries problems and some because they were playing in the Under-21 World Championship.

“But the national team is open to every player, who shows he deserves to be in. From the August meeting I want to assess the potential of my team, before the Test matches.

“The door is open to everybody so it is important for us to watch the Super 10 season and European Cup tournaments with great attention, especially in September and October, so we can be sure to pick the best players for the November Test matches.”