ITALY CENTRE TOMMASO Menoncello has been ruled out of the Rugby World Cup with a bicep injury suffered in the latter stages of the Azzurri’s warm-up defeat to Ireland in Dublin on Saturday night.
The talented 12, who plays his club rugby with Benetton, left the field in tears in the 75th minute.
Italy have confirmed that Menoncello, 20, suffered a detached tendon in his bicep as well as “associated” damage to his joint capsule, and will undergo surgery on Thursday.
Menoncello was one of five Italian players who sustained injuries during the 33-17 defeat to Ireland at the Aviva.
Prop Marco Riccioni, withdrawn in the 10th minute, suffered medial ligament damage in his left knee and will be assessed in the coming days. So too will scrum-half Stephen Varney, who was replaced at half-time with a knock to his left shoulder.
Wing Paolo Odogwu and back row Manuel Zuliani, who went off in the 22nd and 40th minutes respectively, will follow return-to-play protocols for head injuries this week.
Fullback Edoardo Padovani, out-half Leonardo Marin and hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi have already been ruled out of Italy’s World Cup campaign in France, which kicks off against Namibia on Saturday 9 September.
