Italy snub for Scanavacca
Fly-half Andrea Scanavacca was the most notable absentee from a 40-man squad named by Italy coach Pierre Berbizier today for the forthcoming Rugby World Cup.
Scanavacca found it hard to win a place in the team under Berbizier's two predecessors, Brad Johnstone and John Kirwan, but looked to have won the confidence of the Frenchman during the last RBS 6 Nations tournament, Italy's most successful ever.
He helped Italy to two wins, including their first ever away Six Nations win against Scotland, but the 33-year-old will not be among the 40 men from which the final World Cup squad of 30 will almost certainly be drawn.
Parma back row forward Paul Derbyshire and Benetton Treviso centre Alberto Sgarbi both get their first call-ups for the Azzurri.
A 41st player, Overmach Parma's Manoa Vasowai, has also been named but will not be eligible until September 2, five days before the start of the tournament and will thus miss the two warm-up games with Japan and Ireland.
Squad: M Aguero, K Robertson, J Sole (Arix Viadana), R Barbieri, E Galon, F Staibano (Overmach Parma), V Bernabo, R De Marigny, L Ghiraldini, P Griffen, L Nitoglia, M Pratichetti, M Zaffiri, A Zanni (Calvisano), S Orlando, A Sgarbi (Benetton Treviso), E Patrizio (Padova), P Derbyshire, C Festuccia, A Galante (Gran Parma), A Lo Cicero (L'Aquila), M Bergamasco, M Bergamasco, S Parisse (Stade Francais), M Bortolami, C Nieto (Gloucester), D Bortolussi (Montpellier), K Burton (Orleans), G Canale, A Troncon (Clermont-Auvergne), P Canavosio (Castres), M Castrogiovanni (Leicester Tigers), CA Del Fava (Bourgoin), A Masi, S Dellape (Biarritz), F Ongaro (Saracens), L Orquera (Brive), S Perugini (Toulouse), R Pez (Bayonne), M Stanojevic (Bristol)
Standby player: M Vosawai (Overmach Parma).
