Rugby-Reato dropped from Italy squad for All Blacks game

MILAN, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Second row forward Tommaso Reato was among five players cut from Italy's squad on Tuesday for Saturday's test with New Zealand, the federation said in a statement.

Reato, who has nine caps, will instead join up with the Italy A squad for Friday's match against Romania alongside forward Manoa Vosawai and inexperienced backs Tommaso Benvenuti, Michele Sepe and Giovambattista Venditti.

Coach Nick Mallett has been left with a 25-man squad to face the All Blacks in Milan but may also be without flanker Josh Sole, who is struggling for fitness.

Fellow flanker Mauro Bergamasco, who has recovered from a foot problem, said the one-match ban given to New Zealand flyhalf Dan Carter for a high tackle in last weekend's win over Wales would not especially weaken the visitors.

"I don't think it will change much. New Zealand are one of the best teams in the world and even if Carter is today probably the best number 10 around, everyone who pulls on a black shirt is an opponent of the highest level," he told reporters.

Mallett will name his team on Thursday for the 80,000 sell-out, the biggest crowd ever in Italian rugby. New Zealand name their XV on Wednesday.

Revised squad:

Forwards: Matias Aguero, Mauro Bergamasco, Martin Castrogiovanni, Carlo Antonio Del Fava, Simone Favaro, Quintin Geldenhuys, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Fabio Ongaro, Sergio Parisse, Antonio Pavanello, Salvatore Perugini, Ignacio Rouyet, Josh Sole, Alessandro Zanni

Backs: Mirco Bergamasco, Kristopher Burton, Gonzalo Canale, Gonzalo Garcia, Craig Gower, Luke McLean, Simon Picone, Matteo Pratichetti, Kaine Robertson, Alberto Sgarbi, Tito Tebaldi.

(Reporting by Mark Meadows, editing by Tony Jimenez. To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)