Licata called up in preparation for the match against France

 The Italian National Men's Rugby Team have regrpoued for the match against France set to take place at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille on Sunday 25 February in the third round of the Guinness Six Nations 2024.

The day was divided between work in the gym in the morning and, in the afternoon, collective training on Field 1 of the Giulio Onesti Olympic Preparation Center in Rome, the Azzurri's headquarters during the tournament.

Giovanni Licata is also present in the Italian group: the Zebre captain - 13 caps with the men's senior national team - was called up by the technical staff led by Gonzalo Quesada to replace the unavailable Francois Mey.

This is the updated list of athletes called up:

Pylons

Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 50 caps)

Danilo FISCHETTI (Zebre Parma, 37 caps)

Matteo NOCERA (Zebre Parma, debutant)

Luca RIZZOLI (Zebre Parma, debutant)

Mirco SPANISH (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)

Giosuè ZILOCCHI (Benetton Rugby, 18 caps)

Hookers

Gianmarco LUCCHESI (Benetton Rugby, 19 caps)

Marco MANFREDI (Zebre Parma, 3 caps)

Giacomo NICOTERA (Benetton Rugby, 20 caps)

Second Lines

Matteo CANALI (Zebre Parma, debutant)

Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 38 caps)

Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 51 caps)

Andrea ZAMBONIN (Zebre Parma, 5 caps)

Third Lines

Riccardo FAVRETTO (Benetton Rugby, 1 cap)

Alessandro IZEKOR (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)

Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 35 caps) 

Giovanni LICATA (Zebre Parma, 13 caps)

Ross VINTCENT (Exeter, 1 cap)

Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 19 caps)

Scrum midfielders

Alessandro GARBISI (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)

Martin PAGE-RELO (Lyon, 5 caps)

Stephen VARNEY (Gloucester, 26 caps)

Opening midfielders

Paolo GARBISI (Montpellier, 33 caps)

Leonardo MARIN (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps)

Centers

Juan Ignacio BREX (Benetton Rugby, 32 caps)

Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, 14 caps)

Federico MORI (Bayonne, 15 caps)

Marco ZANON (Benetton Rugby, 16 caps)

Wingers/Fullbacks

Ange CAPUOZZO (Stade Toulousain, 17 caps)

Monty IOANE (Lyon 27 caps)

Simone GESI (Zebre Parma, 1 cap)

Louis LYNAGH (Harlequins, debutant)

Lorenzo PANI (Zebre Parma, 7 caps)

These are the appointments of the Italian men's national team during the Six Nations:

02.03.24 – 3.15 pm

Italy v England 24-27 (1-4)

11.02.24 – 3pm local time (4pm ITA)

Ireland v Italy 36-0 (5-0)

25.02.24 – 4pm

France v Italy

9.03.24 – 3.15 pm

Italy v Scotland

16.03.24 – 2.15pm local time (3.15pm ITA)

Wales v Italy