Leicester Tigers front-row duo Leonardo Ghiraldini and Michele Rizzo are included in Italy's World Cup training squad.A squad of 40 is gathering in Italy this week for the start of their countdown under head coach Jacques Brunel.
Ghiraldini has 75 caps, while Rizzo earned a recall during the Six Nations in 2015 tomake his 16th Test appearance.
The squad also includes Robert Barbieri, who is due to return to Treviso in Italy next season after a year at Leicester, and former Tigers prop Martin Castrogiovanni who is set to join Racing 92 from Toulon.
The 31-man squad for the World Cup will be announced after Italy’s final training camp in August 9, ahead of warm-up fixtures against Scotland and Wales.
Italy's World Cup training squad:
Forwards: Matias Aguero (Zebre), Martin Castrogiovanni (Toulon), Dario Chistolini (Zebre), Lorenzo Cittadini (Wasps), Alberto De Marchi (Sale), Michele Rizzo (Leicester Tigers), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Leicester Tigers), Davide Giazzon (Treviso), Andrea Manici (Zebre), Valerio Barnabo (Zebre), George Biagi (Zebre), Marco Bortolami (Zebre), Joshua Furno (Newcastle), Marco Fuser (Treviso), Quintin Geldenhuys (Zebre), Robert Barbieri (Leicester Tigers), Marco Barbini (Treviso), Mauro Bergamasco (Zebre), Simone Favaro (Treviso), Francesco Minto (Treviso), Sergio Parisse (Stade Français), Samuela Vunisa (Zebre), Alessandro Zanni (Treviso)
Backs: Edoardo Gori (Treviso), Guglielmo Palazzani (Zebre), Marcello Violi (Calvisano), Kelly Haimona (Zebre), Tommaso Allan (Perpignan), Enrico Bacchin (Treviso), Tommaso Benvenuti (Bristol), Michele Campagnaro (Treviso), Angelo Esposito (Treviso), Gonzalo Garcia (Zebre), Andrea Masi (Wasps), Luke McLean (Sale), Luca Morisi (Treviso), Simone Ragusi (Treviso), Leonardo Sarto (Zebre), Giovanbattista Venditti (Zebre), Michele Visentin (Zebre)
Reserves: Tommaso Boni (Mogliano), Carlo Canna (Fiamme Oro), Leandro Cedaro (La Rochelle), Tommaso D'Apice (Zebre), Andrea De Marchi (Zebre), Paul Derbyshire (Treviso), Andrea Lovotti (Zebre), Alberto Lucchese (Treviso), Alberto Sgarbi (Treviso), Giulio Toniolatti (Zebre)
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Front-row duo join Italy squad
15 June 2015 9:03 AM
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Front-row duo join Italy squad
15 June 2015 8:03 AM
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