Mallett names Azzurri World Cup squad

Italy coach Nick Mallett has named a 30-man squad for the World Cup in New Zealand.

Sergio Parisse will captain the Azzurri in the tournament that runs from September 9 until October 23.

Mallett, who will be replaced by Frenchman Jacques Brunel after the World Cup, welcomes back veteran flanker Mauro Bergamasco, who missed the RBS 6 Nations this year with a shoulder injury.

The Azzurri are without first choice fly-half Craig Gower, who is out with a knee injury.

A total of 14 Italian players will make their World Cup debut in New Zealand, while veterans Andrea Lo Cicero and Mauro Bergamasco are the most experienced of the squad, having already featured in three World Cups.

Italy will play two warm-up Tests against Japan on August 13 in Cesena and Scotland in Edinburgh a week later.

The Azzurri, who have never progressed beyond the group stages in the World Cup, are in Group C along with two-time champions Australia, Ireland, Russia and the United States.

Italy squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup:

Forwards: M Castrogiovanni (Leicester), L Cittadini (Treviso), A Lo Cicero (Racing-Metro),S Perugini (Aironi), T D’Apice (Roma), L Ghiraldini (Treviso), F Ongaro (Aironi), M Bortolami (Aironi), C Del Fava (Aironi), Q Geldenhuys (Aironi), C Van Zyl (Treviso), R Barbieri (Treviso), Mauro Bergamasco (Stade Francais), P Derbyshire (Treviso), S Parisse (Stade Francais), A Zanni (Treviso),

Backs: T Benvenuti (Treviso), Mirco Bergamasco (Racing-Metro) G Canale (Clermont), G Garcia (Treviso), A Masi (Racing-Metro), L McLean (Treviso), M Pratichetti (Aironi), A Sgarbi (Treviso), G Toniolatti (Aironi), P Canavosio (Aironi), E Gori (Treviso), F Semenzato (Treviso), L Orquera (Brive), R Bocchino (Aironi).