Allan set for Six Nations return for Italy

Tommaso Allan will return to Six Nations duty for Italy after missing most of his country's best-ever campaign in the competition last year, following his selection on Friday in the Azzurri squad.

Perpignan fly-half Allan has only played one test match after announcing in February that he was stepping back from international rugby to spend more time with his family.

He replaced concussed Ange Capuozzo in a 50-18 thrashing at the hands of Argentina and was then forced to sit out Italy's other November internationals against Georgia and New Zealand through injury.

Italy won two matches and drew another in last year's Six Nations, with Gonzalo Quesada's side then also beating Japan and Tonga in July.

Allan, who is Italy's record scorer in the Six Nations with 165 points, missed all of those positive results, playing in Italy's narrow 27-24 home defeat to England which kicked off their 2024 tournament before announcing his test break.

Stephen Varney returns to a 30-man squad – with four other players also invited to take part – after being dropped for the November internationals.

In October scrum-half Varney, who played in all five of Italy's Six Nations matches last year, left Gloucester to join Vannes in the French Top 14 championship.

Louis Lynagh, the son of Australia rugby great Michael Lynagh, is out after having knee ligament surgery, and the Treviso wing is replaced by Parma's Simone Gesi.

Italy kick off their campaign against Scotland at Murrayfield on February 1.

Italy squad

Forwards

Simone Ferrari (Treviso), Danilo Fischetti (Parma), Marco Ricconi (Saracens), Luca Rizzoli (Parma), Giosue Zilocchi (Treviso), Gianmarco Lucchesi (Toulon), Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Francais), Niccolo Cannone (Treviso), Riccardo Favretto (Treviso), Dino Lamb (Harlequins), Federico Ruzza (Treviso), Lorenzo Cannone (Treviso), Alessandro Izekor (Treviso), Michele Lamaro (Treviso - capt), Sebastian Negri (Treviso), Ross Vintcent (Exeter Chiefs), Manuel Zuliani (Treviso), Matteo Canali (Parma), Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Parma), Muhamed Hasa (Parma)

Backs

Alessandro Garbisi (Treviso), Martin Page-Relo (Lyon), Stephen Varney (Vannes), Tommaso Allan (Perpignan), Paolo Garbisi (Toulon), Leonardo Marin (Treviso), Juan Ignacio Brex (Treviso), Tommaso Menoncello (Treviso), Ange Capuozzo (Toulouse), Matt Gallagher (Treviso), Simone Gesi (Parma), Monty Ioane (Lyon), Jacopo Trulla (Parma), Giulio Bertaccini (Valorugby Emilia)