Jacques Brunel has named four uncapped players in the squad for the Six Nations © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

News: Brunel goes back to basics

Players/Officials: Jacques Brunel

Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations

Teams: Italy

Italy have named their 30-man squad for the first two matches of the 2012 Six Nations with four uncapped players given the nod by new boss Jacques Brunel.

The 30-man party named by the former Perpignan coach will be reduced to 24 prior to their opening clash of the tournament against France in the Stade de France on February 4. And there are four new faces in the squad with 22 of the players who journeyed to New Zealand for the 2011 World Cup keeping their place.

Uncapped Aironi prop Alberto de Marchi gets the nod after being part of the wider training squad prior to the 2011 World Cup. Crociati centre Luca Morisi who missed the 2011 Junior World Championships is given his chance to shine while 22-year-old flyer Giovambattista Venditti is also handed a call-up. Winger Angelo Esposito, aged just 18 years, could become the youngest ever Italian to play in the Six Nations if selected.

But while Brunel has backed youth, there are the familiar names of Sergio Parisse, Mauro Bergamasco, Marco Bortolami all featuring. But there is no place for experienced quartet Salvatore Perugini, Carlos Del Fava, Mirco Bergamasco and Gonzalo Garcia. Brunel has also put his trust in the Italian set-up with just four players plying their trade outside of Italy getting the nod for the squad.

Italy squad:

Forwards:
Tommaso D'Apice (Aironi), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Treviso), Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester Tigers), Lorenzo Cittadini (Treviso), Alberto de Marchi (Aironi), Andrea Lo Cicero (Racing Metro), Marco Bortolami (Aironi), Quintin Geldenhuys (Aironi), Antonion Pavanello (Treviso), Cornelius van Zyl (Treviso), Robert Barbieri (Treviso), Mauro Bergamasco (Aironi), Paul Derbyshire (Treviso), Simone Favaro (Aironi), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais), Alessandro Zanni (Treviso)

Backs:
Edoardo Gori (Treviso), Fabio Semenzato (Treviso), Kristopher Burton (Treviso), Luciano Orquera (Aironi), Tommaso Benvenuti (Treviso), Gonzalo Canale (Clermont Auvergne), Luca Morisi (Parma Crociati), Alberto Sgarbi (Treviso), Angelo Esposito (Ruggers Tarvisium/Accademia FIR), Roberto Quartaroli (Aironi), Giulio Toniolatti (Aironi), Giovambattista Venditti (Aironi), Andrea Masi (Aironi), Luke McLean (Treviso)