Italy head coach Carlo Napolitano and Technical Assistant Paul Broadbent will look to reduce their 50-man train-on squad for October’s 2013 World Cup European Zone Qualifiers after seeing their charges in action in two trial matches.The squad, which features a host of prominent professionals from Australia and Europe, is headlined by former Kangaroos Anthony Minichiello, who returns to the blue shirt for the first time since representing Italy in the 1995 Emerging Nations World Cup, and Harlequins RL's Craig Gower (pictured), who has represented Italy in union.
Hoping to join the elite ranks, players from Italy 'A' will be touring England this month, capping a series of training camps run by Braodbent in Itlay. The Azzurri arrive in England on 14th September and will be based at Nottingham University for matches against Loughborough University on Friday 16th (kick off 3pm) and the RAF at Cranwell Army Barracks the following afternoon (3pm).
President of the Federazione Italiana Rugby League, Tiziano Franchini, said: ”I am very proud of what FIRL has achieved in the last year and we have such a talented squad that the only way to reduce it down was to see the players in action, to see if they have taken on what they have been taught by their coaches. It will be a really good experience and bonding exercise which will stand us in good order for the World Cup qualifying campaign and just what we need against two strong, well established, fit and drilled sides. We will reduce the squad before the first qualification game against Russia in Padova on the 15 October 2011, so we can arrive in the best possible shape for the road to the World Cup”.
ITALY TRAIN-ON SQUAD
Josh White (Burleigh Bears); Frederic Delhoum, Remi Fontana (Cavaillon / Grifons PD); Anthony Laffranchi (Gold Coast Titans); Nicolo Fadalti, Edoardo Paluello, Pettenello Mauro, Rob Quitadamo, Nicola Reffo, Matthew Sands, Giacomo Simioni (Grifons PD); Craig Gower (Harlequins RL); Christophe Calegari (Lezignan); Vic Mauro (Manly Sea Eagles); Dom Nasso (Monto); Matt Parrata (Mt Isa); Cameron Ciraldo (Newcastle Knights); Ryan Ghetti (Northern Pride); Joel Riethmuller (North Queensland Cowboys); Alex Ranieri (North Sydney Bears); Giovanni Neri (Parma RL); Jean Christophe Borlin (Saint Gaudens); Ryan Tramonte (St Patricks Blacktown); Aiden Guerra, Anthony Minichiello (c) (Sydney Roosters); Ray Nasso, Cederic Prizzon (Villefranche de Rouergue); Ben Falcone (Wentworth); Dom Brunetta (Wentworthville Magpies); Rocky Trimarchi (Western Suburbs); Rhys Lennarduzzi (Wests); Ben Stewart (Windsor Wolves); Alberto Barzan, Fabio Berzieri, Juan Pablo Carrara, Luca Cenerini, Valentino Cerri, Fabrizio Ciaurro, Thomas Covati, Giovanni Franchi, Santiago Monteagudo, Ilinca Octavian, Romain Pavoni, Dean Vicelich, Matteo Rossi, Marcelo Segundo (XIII del Ducato); Marco Ferrazzano, Eduardo Lerna , Josh Mantellato, Jonathan Marcinzack