Rugby, Italy: 34 players called up and 3 debutants for the matches against Australia, South Africa and Chile

The last chapter of Italrugby 2025 opens: the Autumn Nations Series. The Azzurri will face Australia (8 October in Udine), South Africa (15 October in Turin) and Chile (22 October in Genoa) and for the occasion coach Gonzalo Quesada has called up 34 players, 3 of which are debutants: the two under 20s Edoardo Todaro and Enoch Opoku Gyamfi (both born in 2006 and playing in England, at Northampton and Bath) and Damiano Mazza, center of the Zebras. These test matches are an opportunity to take home some other important scalps, to try out some new things but above all to secure a place in the second tier of the draws for the next World Cup, which will be held at the beginning of December right at the end of the autumn test matches. Consequently, the matches against Australia, South Africa and Chile take on fundamental importance: Italy is tenth in the ranking, and must finish this November in at least 12th place to be in the second pot and have an easier group in the new 24-team formula.

the news

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As mentioned, Quesada called 3 possible rookies. The first, Edoardo Todaro, was now a given: 19 years old, he scored 3 tries in the first 3 Premiership matches (the top English championship) with the Northampton Saints shirt, a club to which the winger/fullback/centre moved at just 14 years old. Enoch Opoku, Bath’s second line, is a giant of 196 cm and 146 kg and was the protagonist with Todaro of the last under 20 World Cup, in which the Azzurrini obtained the best result in their history (7th). Damiano Mazza, 26 years old, on the other hand has a different story: a lot of wood, perhaps inconspicuous, but not in the eyes of Quesada who rewarded him after the excellent performances that contributed to Zebre’s two consecutive victories at the start of the championship. Lorenzo Pani also returns, scorer of the best try of the 2024 Six Nations and recovering from a terrible cruciate ligament injury that kept him out for the whole of 2025.

the confirmations

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For the rest, after the experiments of the summer (some desired, others forced by an incredible list of injuries) Quesada returns to rely on what he chose as “his” group. Captain Lamaro returns, as do Federico Ruzza, Tommaso Allan, Nacho Brex and Paolo Garbisi. Ange Capuozzo returned after a fibula injury and in his first match played with Toulouse he scored a try in his own way – that is, bypassing any opponent in front of him – and is ready to put on a show. Menoncello – requested by half of France and now betrothed to Toulouse – will as always be the man to keep an eye on, while in front there is a lot of wood with the usual Fischetti, Ferrari, Nicotera (his regular colleague Lucchesi is still injured), the Cannone brothers, Vintcent and Negri. Great anticipation to see a reborn Varney in action after his move to Exeter, where an excellent Zambonin is also doing well.

those summoned

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Pylons Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 66 caps), Danilo FISCHETTI (Nothampton Saints 55 caps), Muhamed HASA (Zebre Parma 3 caps), Marco RICCIONI (Saracens, 34 caps), Mirco SPAGNOLO (Benetton Rugby, 16 caps)

Hookers Tommaso DI BARTOLOMEO (Zebre Parma, 3 caps), Pablo DIMCHEFF (Colomiers Rugby, 2 caps), Giacomo NICOTERA (Stade Français, 34 caps)

Second Lines Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 55 caps), Riccardo FAVRETTO (Benetton Rugby, 7 caps), Enoch OPOKU GYAMFI (Bath, debutant), Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 64 caps), Andrea ZAMBONIN (Exeter Chiefs, 12 caps)

Third Lines Lorenzo CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 30 caps), Alessandro IZEKOR (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps), Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 48 caps), Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 65 caps), Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 35 caps), Ross VINTCENT (Exeter Chiefs, 17 caps)

Scrum halfbacks Alessandro GARBISI (Benetton Rugby, 18 caps), Martin PAGE-RELO (Bordeaux, 18 caps), Stephen VARNEY (Exeter Chiefs, 34 caps)

Flying midfielders Tommaso ALLAN (Perpignan, 86 caps), Giacomo DA RE (Zebre Parma, 5 caps), Paolo GARBISI (Toulon, 47 caps) Centers Juan Ignacio BREX (Toulon, 46 caps), Leonardo MARIN (Benetton Rugby, 15 caps), Damiano MAZZA (Zebre Parma, debutant), Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, 31 caps) caps)

Wingers/Fullbacks Ange CAPUOZZO (Stade Toulousain, 28 caps), Monty IOANE (Lyon, 39 caps), Louis LYNAGH (Benetton Rugby, 7 caps), Lorenzo PANI (Zebre Parma, 8 caps), Edoardo TODARO (Northampton Saints, debutant)