Italy’s Player of the Match Granzotto named in World Cup squad
One of Exeter Chiefs’ newest players Francesca Granzotto has been selected in Italy’s Rugby World Cup squad.
Her selection is hardly a surprise after scooping Player of the Match in Italy’s last World Cup warm-up game against Japan on Saturday.
Italy won 33-15 in Calvisano with full-back Granzotto speeding down touchline to take one of Le Azzurre’s five tries.
Granzotto said: ““I’m really proud and honoured to be part of the team that is representing Italy at the Rugby World Cup. We’ve worked really hard throughout the whole summer and I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can achieve both as a group and individually.”
Italy’s first game of the tournament is against France at Sandy Park on Saturday, 23 August (KO 20:15). This will give Granzotto an early taste of life at her new club and the support she is likely to receive when the PWR returns after culmination of the Rugby World Cup.
France v Italy is the first of seven Rugby World Cup games being held at Sandy Park. Tickets for all of these matches can be purchased on the Rugby World Cup website, starting at £5 for children and £10 for adults.
France will be looking to improve on their try-less performance 6-40 defeat by the Red Roses on Saturday at Stade André et Guy Boniface in Mont-de-Marsan. Chiefs’ back-row Maddie Feaunati came off the bench in the second half for England.
The Red Roses will kick-off their Rugby World Cup campaign at 19:30 against the USA Eagles on Friday, 22 August at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland.
Italy Rugby World Cup squad
Forwards:
Ilaria ARRIGHETTI (Stade Rennais Rugby, 62 caps)
Giordana DUCA (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 58 caps)
Valeria FEDRIGHI (Rugby Colorno, 64 caps)
Alessandra FRANGIPANI (Villorba Rugby, 12 caps)
Elisa GIORDANO (Captain, Valsugana Rugby Padova, 75 caps)
Laura GURIOLI (Villorba Rugby, 16 caps)
Isabella LOCATELLI (Rugby Colorno, 55 caps)
Gaia MARIS (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 39 caps)
Alessia PILANI (Stade Bordelais Rugby, 8 caps)
Alissa RANUCCINI (LOU Rugby, 15 caps)
Sara SEYE (Ealing Trailfinders, 34 caps)
Francesca SGORBINI (ASM Clermont Rugby, 34 caps)
Desiree SPINELLI (Benetton Rugby Treviso, 4 caps)
Emanuela STECCA (Villorba Rugby, 18 caps)
Sara TOUNESI (Stade Bordelais Rugby, 50 caps)
Silvia TURANI (Harlequins, 44 caps)
Vittoria VECCHINI (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 38 caps)
Beatrice VERONESE (RC Toulon, 29 caps)
Backs:
Alia BITONCI (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 7 caps)
Gaia BUSO (Villorba Rugby, 3 caps)
Beatrice CAPOMAGGI (Villorba Rugby, 23 caps)
Giada CORRADINI (Montpellier Herault Rugby, 1 cap)
Alyssa D'INCÀ (Blagnac Rugby, 33 caps)
Francesca GRANZOTTO (Exeter Chiefs, 21 caps)
Veronica MADIA (Blagnac Rugby, 58 caps)
Sara MANNINI (Rugby Colorno, 9 caps)
Aura MUZZO (LOU Rugby, 55 caps)
Vittoria OSTUNI MINUZZI (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 41 caps)
Beatrice RIGONI (Sale Sharks, 86 caps)
Michela SILLARI (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 92 caps)
Sofia STEFAN (RC Toulon, 98 caps)
Emma STEVANIN (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 24 caps)
Photo credit: Sabrina Conforti/FIR