ROME (AP) — Paolo Odogwu was picked in Italy’s squad for the Rugby World Cup on Tuesday, 2 1/2 years after being called up – but not played – by England in the Six Nations.
The 26-year-old winger was born in England and played for the under-18s and under-20s but never the senior team despite being summoned by then-coach Eddie Jones ahead of the 2021 Six Nations.
Odogwu qualified for Italy through his father and will play club rugby there for Benetton, having left English club Wasps following its collapse last year and spending the rest of last season at Stade Francais in Paris.
He was first called up by Italy for its World Cup training group and made his debut in a warmup against Ireland on Aug. 5, and scored his first test try last weekend against Romania.
Two others beside Odogwu in the enlarged squad who were initially uncapped also made it: England-born Harlequins lock Dino Lamb and France-born Toulouse scrumhalf Martin Page-Relo.
Their ability to cover other positions — Lamb in the back row and Page-Relo at flyhalf and fullback — weighed heavy in the selection of the squad for coach Kieran Crowley.
He picked 14 backs, including four scrumhalves and three flyhalves, and 19 forwards.
Of the 33 players, 24 will appear in their first World Cup. Tommaso Allan will feature in his third.
Italy was in a World Cup pool with France, New Zealand, Uruguay and Namibia. The Azzurri open against Namibia on Sept. 9 in Saint-Etienne.
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Italy: Forwards: Pietro Ceccarelli, Simone Ferrari, Danilo Fischetti, Ivan Nemer, Marco Riccioni, Federico Zani, Luca Bigi, Epalahame Faiva, Giacomo Nicotera, Niccolò Cannone, Dino Lamb, Federico Ruzza, David Sisi, Lorenzo Cannone, Toa Halafihi, Michele Lamaro (captain), Sebastian Negri, Giovanni Pettinelli, Manuel Zuliani. Backs: Alessandro Fusco, Alessandro Garbisi, Martin Page-Relo, Stephen Varney, Tommaso Allan, Giacomo Da Re, Paolo Garbisi, Juan Ignacio Brex, Luca Morisi, Pierre Bruno, Ange Capuozzo, Montanna Ioane, Paolo Odogwu, Lorenzo Pani.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
