Parma flanker Paul Derbyshire and Treviso centre Alberto Sgarbi are the most notable players to miss out at this stage, having originally been called up from the Under-21 squad last month.

They are joined by Christopher Burton, Alessio Galante, Ludovico Nitoglia, Silvio Orlando and Fabio Staibano to be axed following a training camp.

Berbizier must name his final squad by August 14 ahead of Italy's first World Cup match against New Zealand in Marseille on September 8.

Remaining squad: Matias Aguero, Robert Barbieri, Mauro Bergamasco, Mirco Bergamasco, Valerio Bernabo, Marco Bortolami (captain), David Bortolussi, Gonzalo Canale, Pablo Canavosio, Martin Castrogiovanni, Roland De Marigny, Carlo Antonio Del Fava, Santiago Dellape, Carlo Festuccia, Ezio Galon, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Paul Griffen, Andrea Lo Cicero, Andrea Masi, Carlos Nieto, Fabio Ongaro, Luciano Orquera, Sergio Parisse, Salvatore Perugini, Ramiro Pez, Matteo Pratichetti, Kaine Robertson, Josh Sole, Marko Stanojevic, Alessandro Troncon, Maurizio Zaffiri, Alessandro Zanni.