Italy, the issues to be resolved for Gonzalo Quesada

On the one hand the desire to bring home a triple success against Samoa, Tonga and Japan, on the other the need to deal with ailments, injuries and the inevitable wear and tear of an endless season, which began 12 months ago with the pre-world rallies.

To balance the two sides of the same coin, Gonzalo Quesada and his staff are called upon, who already see the rotation between Marius Goosen and Richard Hodges in the role of defense coach in place.

For Italy, which will announce the first list of players called up for the summer test matches on June 6th, there are some issues to be resolved within a squad that is expected to be largely confirmed compared to the best Six Nations ever.

Read also: Italy, Richard Hodges: “I think I can bring a certain level of responsibility, trust and simplicity to the Italian national team”

In particular in the back line, where Paolo Garbisi and Ange Capuozzo will be involved in the Top 14 playoffs starting on the weekend of 16 June and potentially absent until Friday 28 June depending on the successes that Toulon and Toulouse are able to achieve in the top French championship. The probability that the two players may not be part of the group at the start of the meeting on 19 June in L’Aquila is considerable, with the risk that if one of the two were to reach the final he could even be completely absent for the tour, which will begin on July 5th with the match against Samoa.

The simultaneous injury to Lorenzo Pani would thus leave Italy rather exposed in the extended triangle, in the role of winger but above all as fullback. Quesada could try to bring Jacopo Trulla back to the national team, whose last cap dates back to June 2022 against Portugal. L’utility back delle Zebre played 19 games for the franchise this season and, after a quiet start, he convinced in his latest outings from January onwards, demonstrating a new maturity. If Tommaso Allan (whose presence would solve many problems) continues to be unavailable, then who knows whether the national team staff might try to bring Matt Gallagher into the group, as already done with Louis Lynagh: it is no mystery that the Bath’s full-back, starter in last weekend’s Premiership semi-final and Benetton’s next signing, is eligible for Italy.

In the center group, Federico Mori could be able to recover in time from the muscular problem that prevented him from finishing the season with Bayonne, but alternatively his place could be taken by Marco Zanon coming off a decidedly positive season with Benetton , where he also demonstrated that he can perform well in harmony with Nacho Brex and Tommaso Menoncello.

Residual considerations for the forward package: in the third line the conditions of Seb Negri and Manuel Zuliani must be evaluated, currently unavailable for Benetton, but Toa Halafihi has offered a difficult year to ignore and could be ready to return to wearing the blue shirt; in second Dino Lamb could return to occupy a place in a group of players who have really made enormous mileage, and Edoardo Iachizzi could do the same.

Last but not least, up front there is a spot to fill in the left prop lot: only Danilo Fischetti and Mirco Spagnolo played in the Six Nations, Luca Rizzoli was called up before being excluded at the end of the tournament, with Simone Ferrari as third alternative on the left and Pietro Ceccarelli, Giosuè Zilocchi and Marco Riccioni completing the department on the right. Who knows if it will still be like this or if there might be some opportunity for a new name.

Lorenzo Calamai

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