Del Fava return boosts Italy

Carlo Antonio Del Fava is the surprise inclusion in Italy’s 30-man squad to face Scotland in their next RBS 6 Nations clash.

The Viadana lock underwent an operation last week on his injured knee which was expected to sideline him for at least a month.

However, Del Fava has been included in Nick Mallett’s squad – as has Rugby Roma full-back Paolo Buso, who won his only cap two years ago.

Manoa Vosawai, Simone Favaro, Michele Sepe and Matteo Pratichetti are the other additions to the 24-man squad for Sunday’s defeat to England.

The list will be whittled down to 24 on Tuesday, with Italy playing host to Scotland four days later.

Italy squad: Ricardo Bocchino (Rovigo), Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Paolo Buso (Viadana), Gonzalo Canale (Clermont), Andrea Masi (Racing Metro Paris), Luke McLean (Treviso), Gonzalo Garcia (Treviso), Craig Gower (Bayonne), Kaine Robertson (Viadana), Alberto Sgarbi (Treviso), Tito Tebaldi (Gran Parma), Pablo Canavosio (Viadana), Paul Derbyshire (Petrarca Padova), Matteo Pratichetti (Viadana) Michele Sepe (Viadana); Matias Aguero (Saracens), Mauro Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Marco Bortolami (Gloucester), Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester), Carlo Antonio Del Fava (Viadana), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Treviso), Lorenzo Cittadini (Treviso), Quintin Geldenhuys (Viadana), Valerio Bernabo (Rugby Roma), Simone Favaro (Rugby Parma), Salvatore Perugini (Bayonne), Josh Sole (Viadana), Alessandro Zanni (Treviso), Fabio Ongaro (Saracens), Manoa Vosawai (Rugby Parma).