Gianluca Guidi announces match-22 for Italy A’s Churchill Cup debut game – Rugby news
Italy A will open a new page in their rugby playing history as they make their Churchill Cup debut against Canada on June 4. Azzurri head coach, Gianluca Guidi, who is also in-charge of Italy A team during the ninth edition of the Churchill Cup has announced
the match-22 on Thursday June 2.
Italy A will take on last year’s Heineken Cup winners Canada at Franklin’s Garden, Northampton. Italy A are placed in-group B alongside Canada and Russia.
Commenting on Azzuri’s debut in the Churchill Cup, Guidi said, “It is a privilege for us to compete in the Churchill Cup.” Speaking about his team’s chances against the Canadian team during Saturday’s clash, Guidi commented, “It will be a tough game, no
doubt. Canada reached the Churchill Cup final in 2010, beating France in the pool phase, and the Canadians will be committed to perform at their best ahead of the upcoming Rugby World Cup.”
Guidi has announced four of Italy’s under-20s national academy players in the match squad. This includes BancaMonteParma Crociati fullback Ruggero Trevisan, Aironi‘s fly half Riccardo Bocchino, Futura Park Rugby Roma hooker Tommaso D'Apice in the starting
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GranDucato Parma Andrea Manici and Aironi Joshua Funo are named on the bench.
Guidie termed the match-22 as “an interesting squad”. He further added, “We will line up with some very experienced internationals such as Marco Bortolami, Mauro Bergamasco and team captain Valerio Bernabò, shoulder to shoulder with emerging guys such as
Trevisan, hooker Tommaso D'Apice and centre Denis Majstorovic. All of them played very well in the Italian Championship this season and deserve their selection."
Italy A squad announced for their Saturday, June 4, encounter against Canada includes:-
Starting XV: 15 Ruggero TREVISAN (BancaMonteParma Crociati), 14 Andrea BACCHETTI (Femi-CZ Rovigo, 2 caps), 13 Denis MAJSTOROVIC (Estra I Cavalieri Prato), 12 Matteo PRATICHETTI (MPS Aironi, 22 caps), 11 Michele SEPE (Benetton Treviso, 3 caps),
10 Riccardo BOCCHINO (MPS Aironi, 6 caps), 9 Tito TEBALDI (MPS Aironi, 14 caps), 8 Manoa VOSAWAI (Benetton Treviso, 8 caps), 7 Mauro BERGAMASCO (Stade Francais, 84 caps), 6 Valerio BERNABO' (Benetton Treviso, 19 caps – captain), 5 Marco BORTOLAMI (MPS Aironi,
84 caps), 4 Corniel VAN ZYL (Benetton Treviso), 3 Fabio STAIBANO (MPS Aironi, 9 caps), 2 Tommaso D'APICE (Futura Park Rugby Roma), 1 Alberto DE MARCHI (MPS Aironi).
Replacements: 16 Andrea MANICI (HBS GranDucato Parma), 17 Matias AGUERO (MPS Aironi, 17 caps), 18 Dario CHISTOLINI (Petrarca Padova), 19 Joshua FURNO (MPS Aironi), 20 Francesco MINTO (Benetton Treviso), 21 Giulio TONIOLATTI (MPS Aironi, 5 caps), 25 Durandt
GERBER (HBS GranDucato Parma).
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