RUGBY:ITALY SURPRISINGLY left out reserve outhalf Kristopher Burton as they named their 30-man World Cup squad yesterday, with coach Nick Mallett setting a target of qualification for the quarter-finals from Group B, which also includes Ireland and Australia.
The Italians are already without outhalf Craig Gower, who ruled himself out of the tournament in New Zealand last month after failing to recover sufficiently from a knee ligament operation.
Riccardo Bocchino and Argentina-born Luciano Orquera were the two No 10s named in a squad which also included surprise uncapped pair Tommaso D’Apice and Cornelius Van Zyl.
“From our point of view, Orquera is the most complete player for the number 10, and Riccardo Bocchino has in these weeks shown great determination and will to mature and be part of the 30,” said South African Mallett.
Australia-born Burton had been among the 36 players who have been training for the tournament and which was whittled down to the final 30 by Mallett.
Prop Andrea Lo Cicero and flanker Mauro Bergamasco will both be heading for their fourth World Cup.
“This group is the result of four years of work,” said Mallett, who will not be continuing after the World Cup. “We have no doubt that the quarter-finals are within our capabilities.”
Italy have never reached the last eight of the tournament and face a stiff task having been grouped with Australia, Ireland, United States and Russia, with only two to advance. They finished bottom of this year’s Six Nations, though they did beat France in Rome, and will play two warm-up Tests against Japan and Scotland next month.
ITALY (World Cup squad): Forwards: Robert Barbieri, Mauro Bergamasco, Marco Bortolami, Martin Castrogiovanni, Lorenzo Cittadini, Tommaso D’Apice, Carlo Antonio Del Fava, Paul Derbyshire, Quintin Geldenhuys, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Andrea Lo Cicero, Sergio Parisse, Salvatore Perugini, Fabio Ongaro, Alessandro Zanni, Cornelius Van Zyl.
Backs: Tommaso Benvenuti, Mirco Bergamasco, Riccardo Bocchino, Gonzalo Canale, Pablo Canavosio, Gonzalo Garcia, Edoardo Gori, Andrea Masi, Luke McLean, Luciano Orquera, Matteo Pratichetti, Fabio Semenzato, Alberto Sgarbi, Giulio Toniolatti.
