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Casualties as Conor O'Shea confirms 31-man Italy Rugby World Cup squad
By Ian Cameron
Conor O'Shea has named his 31-man Italy Rugby World Cup squad for Japan - and there are some significant casualties.
Yesterday Italy walloped future Rugby World Cup Pool rivals Russia 85 - 15, which places second behind a 104-8 hammering of the Czech Republic in 1994 as the Azzurri's biggest ever victory.
Former Leinster star Ian McKinley didn't make the cut in a team that includes two fly-halves - Carlo Canna and Tomasso Allan.
There's no room for backrows Jimmy Tuivaiti, Giovanni Licata, nor is there space for centre Marco Zanon or wing Angelo Esposito - among others.
Sergio Parisse is set to equal the record for the most Rugby World Cups appearances after he was selected for what will be his fifth tournament.
Italy squad for Rugby World Cup
Props
Simone Ferrari (Benetton Rugby)
Andrea Lovotti (Zebre Rugby Club)
Tiziano Pasquali (Benetton Rugby)
Nicola Quaglio (Benetton Rugby)
Marco Riccioni (Benetton Rugby)
Federico Zani (Benetton Rugby)
Hookers
Luca Bigi (Zebre Rugby Club)
Oliviero Fabiani (Zebre Rugby Club)
Leonardo Ghiraldini (Unattached)
Locks
Dean Budd (Benetton Rugby)
Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby)
David Sisi (Zebre Rugby Club)
Alessandro Zanni (Benetton Rugby)
Backrow
Maxime Mbanda ‘(Zebre Rugby Club)
Sebastian Negri (Benetton Rugby)
Sergio Parisse (Toulon) – captain
Jake Polledri (Gloucester)
Abraham Steyn (Benetton Rugby)
Scrumhalves
Callum Braley (Gloucester)
Guglielmo Palazzini (Zebre Rugby Club)
Tito Tebaldi (Benetton Rugby)
Flyhalves
Tommaso Allan (Benetton Rugby)
Carlo Canna (Zebre Rugby Club)
Centres
Tommaso Benvenuti (Benetton Rugby)
Michele Campagnaro (Harlequins)
Luca Morisi (Benetton Rugby)
Back three
Mattia Bellini (Zebre Rugby Club)
Giulio Bisegni (Zebre Rugby Club)
Jayden Hayward (Benetton Rugby)
Matteo Minozzi (Wasps)
Edoardo Padovani (Zebre Rugby Club)
England Head Coach Eddie Jones said Wales was a brilliant World Cup warm-up after his side lost at the Principality Stadium. England suffered a 21-13 loss to Wales as both teams' prepare for the Rugby World Cup that starts next month in Japan.
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Latest Comments
The first half penalties against NZ were for speculative tackling because England were attacking so flat. If NZ didn't do this then it may have been tries and not penalties conceded earlier. I believe Felix Jones is still helping with the transition online. It was quite clear he wasn't helping in person with Earls in particular shooting up and leaving huge holes. NZ had a few that nearly stuck but the two tries by Telea were defensive errors. Furbank biting on Sititi leaving Genge to mark. Genge wont show Telea the outside again. Poor tacking on Telea for the second. That said he is a hard man to grab hold of.
Isolating Genge was clever for Jordans try. NZ spotted he defended wide too often and they could leave a gap with that switch play. 6 day turnaround for Ireland now.
I imagine NZ will be better, but they will need to be a lot better.
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