Italian squad

Italy head coach Jacques Brunel has named four uncapped players in a 30-man squad for this season's RBS 6 Nations Championship.

Wing Michele Visentin, centre Giulio Bisegni, utility back Simone Ragusi and scrum-half Marcello Violi have been selected, while players sidelined through injury include Gonzalo Canale and Alberto Sgarbi.

Wing Giovambattista Venditti and long-serving flanker Mauro Bergamasco, meanwhile, return after missing this season's autumn Tests, with number eight Sergio Parisse named as captain.

Italy kick off their Six Nations campaign against Ireland in Rome on 7 February.

Italian Six Nations Squad

Backs: G Bisegni (Zebre), M Campagnaro (Treviso), A Masi (Wasps), L McLean (Sale Sharks), L Morisi (Treviso), S Ragusi (Treviso), L Sarto (Zebre), G Venditti (Zebre), M Visentin (Zebre), T Allan (Perpignan), K Haimona (Zebre), E Gori (Treviso), G Palazzani (Zebre), M Violi (Calvisano).

Forwards: M Aguero (Zebre), M Castrogiovanni (Toulon), D Chistolini (Zebre), A De Marchi (Sale Sharks), L Ghiraldini (Leicester), A Manici (Zebre), G Biagi (Zebre), M Bortolami (Zebre), J Furno (Newcastle), Q Geldenhuys (Zebre), R Barbieri (Leicester), M Bergamasco (Zebre), S Favaro (Treviso), F Minto (Treviso), S Parisse (Stade Francais, capt), A Zanni (Treviso).