Metro Racing prop Andrea Lo Cicero blasted Italian rugby bosses after he was omitted from a 30-man squad named on Monday for a pre-Six Nations training camp.
South African coach Nick Mallett brought in six Italy-based uncapped players while leaving out the experienced 32-year-old Sicilian. Former Penrith and Kangaroos half Craig Gower, who now plays for French club Bayonne and was hoping for a call-up, also missed out.
"After 11 years in the national team and 10 playing in the Six Nations [Lo Cicero is the only Italian player to have played in the Six Nations from Italy's first participation in 2000] I would have expected at least a phone call," he said.
"I feel hurt and now I want to talk to the [Italian Rugby] president [Giancarlo] Dondi.
Mallett, who has shaken things up following the disappointing November internationals in which his team lost all three home tests against Australia, Argentina and Pacific Islanders, said he had spoken to Lo Cicero about 4.30pm.
"It's normal that he's disappointed. But I want to clarify that he's not out completely, only from this get-together and the first two Six Nations matches," Mallett said.
"But I also pointed out to him that he's not the only player left out. Even so, I don't like it when players go talking to the press."
Back-rower Simone Favaro (Rovigo), second-rower Jean-Francois Montauriol (Venezia), winger Andrea Bacchetti (Rovigo), fullback Tommaso Benvenuti (Treviso), centre Gilberto Pavan (Overmach Parma) and five-eighth Giulio Rubini (Overmach Parma) will get the chance to train with their country's finest including Stade Francais pair Sergio Parisse and Mauro Bergamasco.
Welcomed back to the fold are also prop Martin Castrogiovanni of Leicester Tigers and Toulon lock Santiago Dellape, who were both injured at the end of last year and missed the November internationals.
The training camp will take place on the outskirts of Rome from January 25-29 before Mallett reduces the group to 24 players ahead of the beginning of tournament preparation on February 1.
Italy begin their Six Nations campaign against England at Twickenham on February 7.
They finished bottom of the pile last season for the seventh time in 10 years despite Andrea Marcato's last gasp drop goal giving them a morale-boosting victory over Scotland in their final match.
AFP
