In a shocking turn of events, Italy's rugby team has omitted the talented Ange Capuozzo from their 33-man squad for the prestigious Six Nations tournament, leaving fans and pundits alike in disbelief. But why? A broken finger—a seemingly minor injury—has sidelined the Toulouse star, at least for now.
The 26-year-old's absence is a significant blow to the Italian side, especially considering his impressive performance in their last match of 2025, where they dominated La Rochelle with a 60-14 victory. Capuozzo's injury, sustained in that very game, was expected to keep him out for just three weeks, but it has cost him his spot in the squad for the upcoming training camp in Verona, starting January 25th.
And he's not alone in his misfortune. Several key players are missing due to injuries, including the experienced Sebastian Negri, Ross Vintcent, Tommaso Allan, Gianmarco Lucchesi, and Jacopo Trulla. This has left the team with a challenging task of filling these gaps.
However, there is a silver lining. The squad, led by captain Michele Lamaro, has welcomed two new uncapped players: Zebre's Samuele Locatelli and centre Damiano Mazza. Additionally, former Gallagher PREM stars Paolo Odogwu and Matt Gallagher are set to return, adding depth to the team.
As the Azzurri prepare to face Scotland in Rome on February 7th, they aim to build on their recent successes, including victories over Australia and Chile, and a close contest against the reigning world champions, South Africa.
But here's where it gets controversial: Is Italy's squad selection a gamble? Coach Gonzalo Quesada seems confident, stating, "These training days are crucial, building excitement as we prepare for the oldest rugby tournament. We aim to improve on our 2025 performance, where we showed great form against Ireland and Australia."
The squad list is as follows:
Props: Simone Ferrari (Benetton Rugby, 69 caps), Danilo Fischetti (Northampton Saints, 58 caps), Muhamed Hasa (Zebre Parma, 4 caps), Marco Riccioni (Saracens, 36 caps), Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton Rugby, 19 caps).
Hookers: Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Zebre Parma, 6 caps), Pablo Dimcheff (Colomiers Rugby, 3 caps), Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Français, 36 caps).
Second-row: Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 58 caps), Riccardo Favretto (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps), Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby, 67 caps), Andrea Zambonin (Exeter Chiefs, 14 caps).
Back-row: Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 33 caps), Alessandro Izekor (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps), Michele Lamaro (Benetton Rugby, 49 caps), Samuele Locatelli (Zebre Parma, uncapped), David Odiase (Zebre Parma, 3 caps), Manuel Zuliani (Benetton Rugby, 38 caps).
Scrum-halves: Alessandro Fusco (Zebre Parma, 20 caps), Martin Page-Relo (Bordeaux, 21 caps), Stephen Varney (Exeter Chiefs, 36 caps).
Fly-halves: Giacomo Da Re (Zebre Parma, 6 caps), Paolo Garbisi (Toulon, 49 caps).
Centres: Juan Ignacio Brex (Toulon, 49 caps), Leonardo Marin (Benetton Rugby, 17 caps), Damiano Mazza (Zebre Parma, uncapped), Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton Rugby, 34 caps), Paolo Odogwu (Benetton Rugby, 7 caps).
Back three: Matt Gallagher (Benetton Rugby, 3 caps), Monty Ioane (Lione, 42 caps), Louis Lynagh (Benetton Rugby, 9 caps), Lorenzo Pani (Zebre Parma, 8 caps), Edoardo Todaro (Northampton Saints, 1 cap).
With the Six Nations fast approaching, will Italy's squad changes pay off? Are they taking a calculated risk, or is it a strategic masterstroke? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
