Italy have left fly-half Craig Gower and scrum-half Tito Tebaldi out of their squad to face Australia next weekend after both started Saturday's defeat by Argentina.

Former Australia rugby league international Gower (pictured), who is carrying a knee injury, has been replaced in the squad by Riccardo Bocchino although Luciano Orquera looks favourite to wear the number 10 jersey in Florence on Saturday.

Tebaldi has no injury and has simply been dropped to link up with the Italy A team. Pablo Canavosio is poised to take over at scrum-half when the team is announced on Thursday.

Flanker Mauro Bergamasco was included in the squad after missing the 22-16 defeat by Argentina with a shoulder injury while hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini hopes to play Australia, beaten by England on Saturday, despite a knee problem.

24-man squad:

Forwards: Robert Barbieri, Mauro Bergamasco, Martin Castrogiovanni, Lorenzo Cittadini, Carlo Antonio Del Fava, Santiago Dellape, Paul Derbyshire, Quintin Geldenhuys, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Andrea Lo Cicero, Fabio Ongaro, Sergio Parisse (captain), Salvatore Perugini, Alessandro Zanni

Backs: Tommaso Benvenuti, Mirco Bergamasco, Riccardo Bocchino, Gonzalo Canale, Pablo Canavosio, Edoardo Gori, Andrea Masi, Luke McLean, Luciano Orquera, Alberto Sgarbi

Reuters