Italy will head into next month's Nations Championship without centre Tommaso Menoncello after the 24-year-old suffered a shoulder injury playing for Toulouse in Sunday's Champions Cup win over Exeter, lasting just six minutes before being forced off. The Italian Rugby Federation confirmed his omission on Wednesday.
Menoncello is one of four absentees for Gonzalo Quesada's squad, with scrumhalf Martin Page-Relo, back-rower Sebastian Negri and Zebre fullback Lorenzo Pani also ruled out. Italy face South Africa, Argentina and Fiji across the competition, which concludes the weekend of 27-29 November.
Quesada, speaking in an FIR statement, acknowledged the disruption but framed it as an opportunity with the 2027 Rugby World Cup a year away. "I also see these difficulties as a great opportunity to give playing time to some young players who represent the future of the national team," he said, adding that facing "four of the best teams in the world" over four consecutive weeks would test Italy's character.