Callum Braley and Jake Polledri have both been named in Franco Smith’s 35 man squad for the 2020 Guinness Six Nations.

Braley (5 caps) and Polledri (13 caps) both featured and performed well for Italy in the 2019 Rugby World Cup held in Japan, so it’s perhaps no surprise that they have retained their places.

Sergio Parisse does not feature, with Italy’s most-capped player ever set to feature only in the home games in this year’s Championship, his last with the Azzurri.

The Italy squad will meet in Rome for a training camp between January 19 and 26, before heading to Verona to prepare for their Championship opener away to Grand Slam champions Wales in Cardiff on February 1.

Smith said today:

“In the squad we have a mixed of experienced players and youngsters who want to establish themselves on the international stage. Everyone’s contributions will be crucial from the start to prepare the opening game of a Championship which gets more competitive and compelling all the time.”

[caption id="attachment_30515" align="alignnone" width="1024"]

FUKUOKA, JAPAN - SEPTEMBER 26: Callum Braley of Italy jumps over DTH Van Der Merwe of Canada during the Rugby World Cup 2019 Group B game between Italy and Canada at Fukuoka Hakatanomori Stadium on September 26, 2019 in Fukuoka, Japan. (c) Mark Kolbe/Getty Images[/caption]

Italy squad for the 2020 Guinness Six Nations

Props

Pietro CECCARELLI (Edinburgh Rugby, 9 caps), Danilo FISCHETTI (Zebre Rugby Club, uncapped), Andrea LOVOTTI (Zebre Rugby Club, 40 caps), Marco RICCIONI (Benetton Rugby, 7 caps), Giosuè ZILOCCHI (Zebre Rugby Club, 2 caps)

Hookers

Luca BIGI (Zebre Rugby Club, 24 caps), Oliviero FABIANI (Zebre Rugby Club, 10 caps), Federico ZANI (Benetton Rugby 13 caps)

Second row

Dean BUDD (Benetton Rugby, 26 caps), Niccolò CANNONE (Argos Petrarca Rugby/Benetton Rugby, uncapped), Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 18 caps), David SISI (Zebre Rugby Club, 9 caps), Alessandro ZANNI (Benetton Rugby, 117 caps)

Back row

Marco LAZZARONI (Benetton Rugby, 4 caps), Giovanni LICATA (Zebre Rugby Club, 8 caps), Johan MEYER (Zebre Rugby Club, 4 caps), Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 22 caps), Jake POLLEDRI (Gloucester Rugby, 13 caps), Abraham STEYN (Benetton Rugby, 36 caps)

Scrum-halves

Callum BRALEY (Gloucester Rugby, 5 caps), Guglielmo PALAZZANI (Zebre Rugby Club, 36 caps), Marcello VIOLI (Zebre Rugby Club, 15 caps)

Fly-halves

Tommaso ALLAN (Benetton Rugby, 54 caps), Carlo CANNA (Zebre Rugby Club, 39 caps)

Centres

Giulio BISEGNI (Zebre Rugby Club, 14 caps), Tommaso BONI (Zebre Rugby Club, 11 caps), Luca MORISI (Benetton Rugby, 29 caps), Alberto SGARBI (Benetton Rugby, 29 caps)

Back three

Mattia BELLINI (Zebre Rugby Club, 22 caps), Tommaso BENVENUTI (Benetton Rugby, 62 caps), Michelangelo BIONDELLI (Fiamme Oro Rugby/Zebre Rugby Club, uncapped), Jayden HAYWARD (Benetton Rugby, 23 caps), Matteo MINOZZI (Wasps Rugby, 16 caps), Edoardo PADOVANI (Zebre Rugby Club, 24 caps), Leonardo SARTO (Benetton Rugby 34 caps)

Braley and Polledri named in Italy squad for the 2020 Guinness Six Nations

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