British and Irish Lions

Italy coach John Kirwan has named a squad of 30 players for the inaugural challenge match against a World XV made up of foreigners playing in the Super 10.

The match, which will be held at Treviso's Monigo Stadium on February 7, forms part of Italy's preparations for their Six Nations opener against world champions England in Rome on February 15.

Italy squad for Skoda Super All Star 2004 Challenge:

Forwards: Andrea De Rossi (Ghial Calvisano), Silvio Orlando (Benetton Treviso), Scott Palmer (Benetton Treviso), Sergio Parisse (Benetton Treviso), Aaron Ronald Persico (Leeds Tykes), Matthew Phillips (Arix Viadana), Maurizio Zaffiri (Ghial Calvisano), Cristian Bezzi (Arix Viadana), Marco Bortolami (Safilo Petrarca Padova), Carlo Checchinato (Benetton Treviso), Santiago Delappe (Benetton Treviso), Carlo Festuccia (SKG Gran Parma), Fabio Ongaro (Benetton Treviso), Martin Castrogiovanni (Ghial Calvisano), Salvatore Costanzo (Benetton Treviso), Gianluca Faliva (Benetton Treviso), Andrea Lo Cicero (Lazio and Primavera), Salvatore Perugini (Ghial Calvisano).

Backs: Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Gonzalo Canale (Benetton Treviso), Denis Dallan (Benetton Treviso), Nicola Mazzucato (Ghial Calvisano). Matteo Barbini (Safilo Petrarca Padova), DALLAN Manuel Dallan (Benetton Treviso), Andrea Masi (Ghial Calvisano), Cristian Stoica (Montpellier), Paul Griffen (Ghial Calvisano), Simon Picone (Benetton Treviso), Roland De Marigny (Overmach Rugby Parma), Rima Wakarua (Leonessa Brescia).

The Lions of Leicester and Leinster will bring domestic bragging rights with them to tomorrow's farewell dinner after they helped their respective sides to league titles on Saturday.

Assistant coach Graham Rowntree says The British & Irish Lions will have to be fully focussed to avoid a potential banana skin when they face The Barbarians a week today.