Italy’s injured centre Marco Zanon will miss the Six Nations game against England on Saturday, the Italian Rugby Federation said on Monday, while Pierre Bruno and Andrea Lovotti have been added to the squad.
Zanon started at outside centre in the Azzurri’s 50-10 opening day loss to France but was replaced after 43 minutes with a muscular problem in his right leg. He has returned to his club Benetton Rugby for the recovery process.
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Two Zebre players, uncapped wing Bruno and experienced prop Lovotti, have joined Franco Smith’s squad.
Prop Cherif Traore and flankers Johan Meyer and Maxime Mbanda are also nursing knocks but will remain with the national team squad in a bid to be ready for the trip to Twickenham, while wing Mattia Bellini has resumed training.
England and Italy meet in London to kick off the second round of fixtures, with both sides looking to bounce back from opening day defeats after Scotland pulled off a shock by winning at Twickenham for the first time in 38 years.
Meanwhile, Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has called up the uncapped duo of centre George Taylor and scrum-half Charlie Shiel to his squad preparing to take on Wales in the Six Nations in Edinburgh on Saturday.
Prop D’Arcy Rae, who won his only cap against Ireland in February 2019, has also been included. Ewan Ashman, Blair Kinghorn, Jamie Dobie and Rufus McLean have been released back to their clubs.
Taylor is serving a three-match suspension following a red card received in a club game and he will be eligible to play again on Feb. 21.