Azzurri turn to Treviso prop
Italy coach Jacques Brunel has called up Treviso prop Michele Rizzo as a back-up for the injured Alberto De Marchi for his side’s opening two matches in the Six Nations next month.
The 29-year-old Rizzo hasn’t featured for Italy in three-and-a-half seasons and will be determined to make an impression with this lifeline.
The Italians kick off their Six Nations campaign on February 4 against France.
Revised Italy squad:
Forwards: Robert Barbieri, Mauro Bergamasco, Marco Bortolami, Martin Castrogiovanni, Lorenzo Cittadini, Tommaso D’Apice, Alberto De Marchi, Paul Derbyshire, Simone Favaro, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Andrea Lo Cicero, Sergio Parisse (captain), Antonio Pavanello, Quintin Geldenhuys, Cornelius Van Zyl, Alessandro Zanni, Michele Rizzo.
Backs: Tommaso Benvenuti, Kris Burton, Angelo Esposito, Edoardo Gori, Gonzalo Canale, Andrea Masi, Luke McLean, Luca Morisi, Luciano Orquera, Roberto Quartaroli , Fabio Semenzato, Alberto Sgarbi, Guilio Toniolatti, Giovambattista Venditti.
