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WORLD CUP ITALY
Picture Mazzariol - first-choice fly-half. (Getty Images)

FRANCESCO MAZZARIOL

Born: 01.03.75
Height: 5ft 8in
Weight: 11st 13lb
Position: Fly-half/Wing
Club: Gran Parma
Caps: 29
Points: 79

With inexperienced duo Vincenzo Zullo and Rima Wakarua the only other fly-halves in the Italy squad, Mazzariol looks likely to be the first-choice No 10 Down Under.

A composed place-kicker, the 28-year-old is not in the same class as Diego Dominquez - who is? - but is a capable performer at this level.

Must provide the link between Italy's powerful front eight and backs as well as keeping his cool in the power-keg atmosphere.

Usually a calm character, Mazzariol did blot his copybook by aiming a kick at New Zealand's Daryl Gibson last year - a misdemeanour which landed him an 11-week ban.




Team Sections
Pool D Standings
New Zealand 20
Wales 14
Italy 8
Canada 5
Tonga 1
Italy Fixtures
7-70 v New Zealand
36-12 v Tonga
19-14 v Canada
15-27 v Wales
Player Profiles
Matteo Barbini
Andrea Benatti
Mauro Bergamasco
Mirco Bergamasco
Cristian Bezzi
Marco Bortolami
Gonzalo Canale
Martin Castrogiovanni
Denis Dallan
Manuel Dallan
Santiago Dellape
Andrea De Rossi
Carlo Festuccia
Andrea Lo Cicero
Ramiro Martinez
Andrea Masi
Matteo Mazzantini
Francesco Mazzariol
Nicola Mazzucato
Fabio Ongaro
Scott Palmer
Sergio Parisse
Gert Peens
Aaron Persico
Salvatore Perugini
Matt Phillips
Alessandro Stoica
Alessandro Troncon (c)
Rima Wakarua
Vincenzo Zullo
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