Rugby World Cup: Italy omit Marco Bortolami from squad

Bortolami is his country's joint most-capped player - he and captain Sergio Parisse have both made 112 appearances

Italy have omitted veteran lock Marco Bortolami from their 31-man squad for next month's World Cup.

The 35-year-old is his country's joint most-capped player along with captain Sergio Parisse, the pair each having made 112 appearances for the Azzurri.

Coach Jacques Brunel also omitted inexperienced winger Michele Visentin, 23, and flanker Robert Barbieri, 31.

Bortolami's Zebre team-mate Mauro Bergamasco, 36, is included and will play in a record fifth World Cup.

Italy were beaten 16-12 by Scotland in a World Cup warm-up in Turin last weekend and play Scotland again at Murrayfield on Saturday before travelling to Cardiff for a final warm-up match against Wales on 5 September.

The Azzurri will compete in Pool D with France, Ireland, Canada and Romania at next month's tournament in England and Wales. Their opening match is against France at Twickenham on 19 September.

Italy's 31-man squad:

Forwards: Leonardo Ghiraldini (Leicester), Davide Giazzon (Treviso), Andrea Manici (Zebre); Matias Aguero (unattached), Martin Castrogiovanni (Racing 92), Dario Chistolini (Zebre), Lorenzo Cittadini (Wasps), Michele Rizzo (Leicester); Valerio Bernabo (Zebre), Joshua Furno (Newcastle), Marco Fuser (Treviso), Quintin Geldenhuys (Zebre); Mauro Bergamasco (unattached), Francesco Minto (Treviso), Sergio Parisse (captain, Stade Francais), Samuela Vunisa (Saracens), Alessandro Zanni (Treviso).

Backs: Edoardo Gori (Treviso), Guglielmo Palazzani (Zebre), Marcello Violi (Zebre); Tommaso Allan (Perpignan), Carlo Canna (Zebre); Tommaso Benvenuti (Bristol), Michele Campagnaro (Exeter), Gonzalo Garcia (Zebre), Luca Morisi (Treviso); Angelo Esposito (Treviso), Leonardo Sarto (Zebre), Giovanbattista Venditti (Newcastle); Andrea Masi (Wasps), Luke McLean (Treviso).