Perugini back in business

Salvatore Perugini will be back for Italy when they face Russia next Tuesday at Trafalgar Park.

A leg injury kept him out of Italy's opening 32-6 defeat to Australia but he has been given the green light for his 81st cap.

"Everything is fine," Perugini said. "I've completed my recovery period and will be able to fully train with the rest of the squad.

"It wasn't a serious injury, but it took time to overcome. At my age, running the risk of missing the World Cup because of an injury picked up the week before we departed was worrying."

Perugini has long been regarded as one of Italy's finest props and is now being appreciated by a wider rugby audience.

In recent years, he has impressed playing for the Barbarians, helping seal wins over New Zealand, South Africa and England, and earning man-of-the-match honours for the latter game at Twickenham in June.

Having played at the Rugby World Cups in 2003 and 2007, he is poised to make his seventh appearance in the tournament.

"We played Russia in the 2007 qualifiers and it was a very hard match," Perugini said. "They have carried on improving.

"All the smaller teams in the World Cup, including us, have shown what they can do."