Italy captain Sergio Parisse is set to return to the Six Nations stage next month © Getty Images

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Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations

Teams: Italy

Italy coach Nick Mallett has named a 24-man squad for the first two games of the Six Nations Championship.

Fly-half Kristopher Burton and prop Ignacio Rouyet and were the two surprise inclusions while hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini and centre Gonzalo Garcia return to the mix having missed the autumn internationals through injury.

Australian-born Burton, who was last capped on the Azzurri's summer tour in 2009, will provide competition for the No.10 shirt alongside Luciano Orquera while Rouyet is in line for his first international outing for over a year.

Mallett is without experienced pair Mauro Bergamasco and Craig Gower, ruled out of the tournament following shoulder and knee operations respectively, while Tito Tebaldi, Riccardo Bocchino and Lorenzo Cittadini drop to the Italy 'A' squad.

Inspirational captain Sergio Parisse returns to the squad having missed last year's entire tournament following a knee ligament injury. Leicester's Martin Castrogiovanni is also in a squad that includes a total of 11 players from Treviso.

Mallett, whose side lost to Argentina and Australia at the end of last year before beating Fiji, welcomed the increased competition within his squad. "The matches in November demonstrated the quality we have in this group and it's right to keep those who did well in November," said Mallet. "At the same time, in a World Cup year, it's right to offer two in-form players like Rouyet and Burton an opportunity as they are having a good season in the Celtic League with Treviso."

Mallett also indicated that he will also be watching the Italy 'A' team closely with a view to refining his Rugby World Cup options. "We also have a competitive 'A' team with interesting youngsters and experienced players who will play England and Scotland in the coming weeks," added Mallett. "It is from this extended group that we will choose the 30 men for the World Cup."

The Azzurri take on Ireland on February 5 at the Stadio Flaminio before facing England at Twickenham one week later.

Italy squad: Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester Tigers), Andrea Lo Cicero (Racing Metro), Salvatore Perugini (Aironi), Ignacio Fernandez-Rouyet, Leonardo Ghiraldini (both Treviso), Fabio Ongaro (Aironi), Santiago Dellape (Racing Metro), Carlo Antonio Del Fava, Quintin Geldenhuys (both Aironi), Robert Barbieri, Paul Derbyshire (both Treviso), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais), Alessandro Zanni (Treviso), Pablo Canavosio (Aironi), Edoardo Gori, Kristopher Burton, Luke McLean (all Treviso), Luciano Orquera (Brive), Tommaso Benvenuti (Treviso), Mirco Bergamasco (Racing Metro), Gonzalo Canale (Clermont Auvergne), Gonzalo Garcia (Treviso), Andrea Masi (Racing Metro), Alberto Sgarbi (Treviso).