by A.P.
Franco Smith includes four uncapped players in his Italy squad but will be unable to call on Wasps’ full-back Matteo Minozzi; the Azzurri begin their Six Nations campaign at home to France, on February 6, followed by a trip to Twickenham to face England
Italy head coach Franco Smith has named four uncapped players in a 32-man squad for the Six Nations, but will be without star full-back Matteo Minozzi.
Smith has called up prop Daniele Rimpelli and hooker Marco Manfredi of Zebre for the first time, along with Mogliano Rugby second row Riccardo Favretto and Benetton centre Juan Ignacio Brex.
But Wasps player Minozzi, who has scored 11 tries in 22 caps for his country, wrote on social media that he was too physically and mentally tired to live in a bubble for another two months.