Italy announce training squad

Italy head coach Pierre Berbizier has named his 30-man squad for the forthcoming training meeting in Viadana.

Italy are planning for the Six Nations, which starts on February 3, and also the 2007 World Cup in France.

Roberto Mariani and Marco Rosa have been included in the party for the first time while Alessio Battisti, Luigi Milani, Tommaso Reato, Marco Neethling and Enrico Patrizio make up the seven uncapped players in the party.

Squad:

Forwards: Robert Barbieri, Andrea Lo Cicero, Ezio Galon, Gert Peens, Maurizio Zaffiri, Alessandro Zanni, Warren Spragg, Carlo Festuccia, Kayne Robertson, Josh Sole, Matias Aguero, Alessio Battisti, Valerio Barnabo, David Dal Maso, Leonardo Ghiraldini.

Backs: Paul Griffen, Andrea Marcato, Roberto Mariani, Luigi Milani, Marco Neethling, Samuele Pace, Enrico Patrizio, Antonio Pavanello, Aaron Persico, Simon Picone, Matteo Pratichetti, Tommaso Reato, Marco Rosa, Andrea Scannavacca, Fabio Staibano.