Paolo Odogwu earns long-awaited Italy recall for Springbok series

Paolo Odogwu has earned his first call-up to the Italy squad under head coach Gonzalo Quesada ahead of their series with the world champions South Africa in July.

The Benetton star, 28, will be looking to add to his six caps when the Azzurri face Namibia next months and two Tests against the Springboks in July after a string of injuries – chiefly a ruptured Achilles in December 2023 – has robbed him of the opportunity of impressing Kieran Crowley’s successor.

Odogwu will be joined by seven uncapped players in the squad of 33, including the Zebre-bound former Italy U20 captain David Odiase.

The flanker is no stranger to South African shores in the blue of Italy, having led Italy at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Cape Town in 2023.

Fixture

Internationals

Namibia

08:00

27 Jun 25

Italy

All Stats and Data

Prop Muhamed Hasa, hookers Tommaso Di Bartolomeo and Pablo Dimcheff, lock Matteo Canali, fly-half Giovanni Montemauri and full-back Mirko Belloni are the fellow uncapped players in the squad.

“The management of the athletes on one side – and the desire to give opportunities to some young players – are the two fundamental aspects that we have taken into account, together with the technical staff, in choosing the squad for the next summer tour,” Quesada said.

“There are players who have had very high minutes in the last two seasons: we have taken into account their recovery and how to best manage the group. This is also an important opportunity for some athletes to compete at this level, as well as a reward for the commitment shown during the season with their performances.

“The staff in the next tour will have the opportunity to work with a group made up of a mix of young and experienced athletes. Next season will be very important, the last before the World Cup: we aim to have a general idea of ??who we can involve towards the Rugby World Cup 2027 and try to increase the depth of the squad we have available.”

Italy squad

Props
Danilo Fischetti (Zebre Parma, 52 Caps)
Muhamed Hasa (Zebre Parma, uncapped)
Marco Riccioni (Saracens, 33 Caps)
Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton Rugby, 14 Caps)
Joshua Zilocchi (Benetton Rugby, 24 Caps)

Hookers
Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Zebre Parma, uncapped)
Pablo Dimcheff (Colomiers Rugby, uncapped)
Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Français, 33 Caps)

Second-rows
Matteo Canali (Zebre Parma, uncapped)
Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 52 Caps)
Riccardo Favretto (Benetton Rugby, 6 Caps)
Andrea Zambonin (Zebre Parma, 9 Caps)

Back-rows
Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 28 Caps)
Alessandro Izekor (Benetton Rugby, 4 Caps)
Sebastian Negri (Benetton Rugby, 63 Caps)
David Odiase (Oyonnax, uncapped)
Ross Vintcent (Exeter Chiefs, 14 Caps)
Manuel Zuliani (Benetton Rugby, 32 Caps)

Scrum-halves
Alessandro Fusco (Zebre Parma, 18 Caps)
Alessandro Garbisi (Benetton Rugby, 16 Caps)
Stephen Varney (Vannes, 32 Caps)

Fly-halves
Giacomo Da Re (Zebre Parma, 2 Caps)
Giovanni Montemauri (Zebre Parma, uncapped)

Centres
Giulio Bertaccini (Valorugby Emilia, 1 Cap)
Leonardo Marin (Benetton Rugby, 14 Caps)
Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton Rugby, 28 Caps)
Federico Mori (Bayonne, 17 Caps)
Marco Zanon (Benetton Rugby, 17 Caps)

Back threes
Mirko Belloni (Femi-cz Rugby Rovigo Delta, uncapped)
Simone Gesi (Zebre Parma, 3 Caps)
Monty Ioane (Lyon, 39 Caps)
Paolo Odogwu (Benetton Rugby, 6 Caps)
Jacopo Trulla (Zebre Parma, 14 Caps)