Italy head coach Carlo Napolitano has named a 48-strong train-on squad in preparation for the Azzurri’s first match of the year, a European Shield tie away in Serbia next month, who they defeated on their way to qualification for the 2013 World Cup.

Seven of the players retain their places; Christophe Calegari, Rhys Lenarduzzi, Jonathon Marcinczak, Ray Nasso, Cedric Prizzon, Matthew Sands and Fabrizio Ciaurrro.

“The European Shield is a great competition for countries to enhance domestic talent,” said Melbourne-based Napolitano, who will delegate running of this squad to Wakefield’s Paul Broadbent and Kelly Rolleston, who looks after the sides in Italy’s north west region. “With our eyes on the World Cup, we see these games as essential in providing the leading lights in the domestic competition with a pathway into international rugby league.”

Italy’s staff have picked out full-back Ciaurro, who took up the sport last year as one to watch along with a clutch of aspiring uncapped players including powerful forward Drake Muyodi, a former Uganda rugby union international and South African-born ex-Italian rugby union international Gert Peens, who switched to rugby league with the launch of the Milanese XIII del Duomo in 2011.

The newcomers will be bolstered by six players from the French championship, including influential Entraigues scrum half Remi Fontana and West Bowling’s Marcinczak, while Ducato Piacenza provide 19 members.

“It was a great match in Germany to open the European Shield,” said Napolitano,  “Their one point win over Serbia is a result that has thrown the competition open. Germany have certainly not done us any favours as we expect the match with the experienced and powerful Serbian team in Belgrade to be even more difficult now.”  

ITALY TRAIN-ON SQUAD
Simone Borsetto, Niccolo Boscolo, Nicolo Fadalti, Edoardo Paluello, Daniele Pasqualini (Ariete Este), Valentino Cerri, Fabrizio Ciaurro (Brescia), Remi Fontana (Cavaillon), Giacomo Alfonsi, Nourou Bance, Ivan Barani, Alberto Barzan, Guiseppe Bassi, Andrea Buondonno, Fabio Berzieri, Thomas Covati, Giovanni Franchi, Octavian Ilinca, Santiago Monteaguda, Michele Mortali, Drake Muyodi, Fabio Nannini, Thomas Robuschi, Matteo Rossi, Marcello Segunda, Andrea Sola, Daniel Stead (Ducato Piacenza), Domenico Bongani, Jeremias Cainzo, Stefano Cardella, Gert Peens, Rodrigo Marchesi (XIII del Duomo Milan), Romain Pavoni (Entraigues XIII), Nicola Reffo, Matthew Sands, Giacomo Simioni, Ludovico Torregiani (Grifons Padova), Christophe Calegari, Rhys Lenarduzzi (Lezignan Corbieres XIII), Mauro Pettenello, Marco Rossetto (Padova 555 RLFC), Giovanni Neri (Parma RLFC), Marco Pelizzari (Rome), Marco Ferrazzano, Eduardo Lerna (rugby union), Ray Nasso, Cedric Prizzon (Villefranche de Rouergue), Jonathon Marcinczak (West Bowling, Bradford)