Of the 25 players initially called up by Berbizier for this weeks training sessions in Rome, four have been laid low by injury and have not been included in the final 24-man party.

Those to miss out are wingers Denis Dallan and Samuele Pace, utility back Ezio Galon and flanker Maurizio Zaffiri.

In their place, Berbizier has called up Calvisano duo Pablo Canavosio (scrum-half) and Matteo Pratichetti (centre), plus Agen flanker Aaron Persico.

Italy start the tournament with a trip to Dublin on February 4 and then host England in Rome on February 11.

Italy squad: Mirco Bergamasco, Mauro Bergamasco (both Stade Francais), Mauro Bortolami (Narbonne) Gonzalo Canale (Clermont-Auvergne), Pablo Canavosio, Martin Castrogiovanni (both Calvisano), Carlo-Antonio Del Fava (Bourgoin), Santiago Dellape (Agen), Carlo Festuccia (Gran Parma), Paul Griffen (Calvisano), Andrea Lo Cicero (L'Aquila), Carlos Nieto (Viadana), Ludovico Nitoglia (Calvisano), Fabio Ongaro (Treviso), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais), Salvatore Perugini (Calvisano), Aaron Persico (Agen), Ramiro Pez (Perpignan), Simon Picone (Treviso), Matteo Pratichetti (Calvisano), Josh Sole (Viadana).