Italy include uncapped quartet

Italy have named four uncapped players, including teenage winger Angelo Esposito, in a 30-man squad for their first two Six Nations matches.

Brunel's reign as coach starts with Paris trip

New Italy coach Jacques Brunel has named four uncapped players in a 30-man squad for the RBS Six Nations matches against France and England. Aironi prop Alberto De Marchi, Crociati center Luca Morisi, Aironi winger Giovambattista Venditti and 18-year-old winger Angelo Esposito from one of the Italian federation's academies are the fresh faces. Brunel has also included plenty of experience with 22 survivors from last year's World Cup, where the Azzurri failed to make the knockout stages. But there were still some surprising omissions, most notably Salvatore Perugini, Carlos Del Fava, Mirco Bergamasco and Gonzalo Garcia. Italy open their Six Nations campaign on February 4 against France in Paris and then welcome England to Rome's Stadio Olimpico on February 11. Having signed a four-year deal to replace Nick Mallett, Frenchman Brunel declared at his presentation in November that he wants Italy to become a Six Nations contender within three years. Italy begin training in Rome on January 22. Italy squad:
Forwards: Martin Castrogiovanni, Lorenzo Cittadini, Alberto De Marchi, Andrea Lo Cicero, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Tommaso D'Apice, Marco Bortolami, Quintin Geldenhuys, Antonio Pavanello, Cornelius Van Zyl, Robert Barbieri, Mauro Bergamasco, Paul Derbyshire, Simone Favaro, Sergio Parisse, Alessandro Zanni
Backs: Edoardo Gori, Fabio Semenzato, Kristopher Burton, Luciano Orquera, Tommaso Benvenuti, Gonzalo Canale, Luca Morisi, Alberto Sgarbi, Angelo Esposito, Roberto Quartaroli, Giulio Toniolatti, Giovambattista Venditti, Andrea Masi, Luke Mclean