Italy's 6Ns squad

Forwards: Robert Barbieri (Treviso), Mauro Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Marco Bortolami (Aironi), Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester), Lorenzo Cittadini (Treviso), Tommaso D'Apice (Aironi), Alberto De Marchi (Aironi), Paul Derbyshire (Treviso), Simone Favaro (Aironi), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Treviso), Andrea Lo Cicero (Racing-Metro), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais, capt.), Antonio Pavanello (Treviso), Quintin Geldenhuys (Aironi), Cornelius Van Zyl (Treviso), Alessandro Zanni (Treviso).

Backs: Tommaso Benvenuti (Treviso), Kris Burton (Treviso), Angelo Esposito (Ruggers Tarvisium), Edoardo Gori (Treviso), Gonzalo Canale (Clermont), Andrea Masi (Aironi), Luke McLean (Treviso), Luca Morisi (Monte Parma), Luciano Orquera (Aironi), Roberto Quartaroli (Aironi), Fabio Semenzato (Treviso), Alberto Sgarbi (Treviso), Guilio Toniolatti (Aironi), Giovambattista Venditti (Aironi).

only 7 players from outside the Rabo.

On paper this side looks pretty good. Treviso have been making life hard for a lot of teams in the Rabbo this season. Will be interesting to see how they perform under jacques Brunel. I don't know much about him but seems capable. Would love to see Italy get a big scalp again!

Apparently the Italian pack could have up to 753 caps! Against an inexperienced English side in Rome could we see an Italian win?

Yes you could definitely and i think if the Italian's play 10 man, kick smartly and defence is up to it, then they can win

As always, Scotland will go to Rome on the last day with more a feeling of apprehension than anything else. It'll be interesting to see the effect of Treviso's strong season on this squad.

1. Lo Cicero
2. Ghiraldini
3. Castrogiovanni
4. Geldenhuys
5. Bortolami
6. Zanni
7. Bergamasco
8. Parisse (c)
9. Gori
10. Burton
11. Venditti
12. Sgarbi
13. Canale
14. Benvenuti
15. Masi

Still the weakest squad in the 6 Nations but that side is capable of upsets certainly. The win against France wasn't a fluke. Italy are more disciplined than they used to be and they have improved on basics like the kick and chase and in the tackle area. Both England and Scotland will have a tough time in Rome.

If they can get the 10/12 axis working in that team then the backline is actually pretty good. Barberi off the bench will be an unwelcome treat for many backrows, he is a pain at the breakdown and the starting backrow are pretty handy themselves.

Italy haven't had that much luck in recent years but given a favourable reffing decision or two they could cause another upset this year.

gowales wrote:Apparently the Italian pack could have up to 753 caps! Against an inexperienced English side in Rome could we see an Italian win?

No. But they might have the wood on Wales.

Mirco Bergamasco injured?

westisbest wrote:Mirco Bergamasco injured?

No he's gone back to the jungle to tend to his other 'pack' of friends.