Former Australian rugby league star Craig Gower is struggling to be fit for Italy's opening Six Nations clash with Ireland at Croke Park on Saturday.

Gower, who quit Penrith in 2007 to join French side Bayonne and qualifies for Italy through a grandfather, did not train on Tuesday after sustaining a knee injury.

"Craig is still recovering and we preferred not to rush him back," said Italy team doctor Roberto Pozzoni.

"We can make a final decision regarding his involvement on Friday in Dublin following the last training session."

Italy coach Nick Mallett has trimmed his squad to 24 players and will announce his team to face Ireland on Thursday, before they travel to Dublin.

Meanwhile, the Azzurri's other Australian-born player, fullback Luke McLean admitted on Tuesday that Italian players could start heading to other European countries now that their clubs have been pulled out of the Celtic League.

Last week the Italian Rugby Federation (FIR) claimed that Italian teams would not be taking part in next season's Celtic competition after talks stalled with League bosses over economic demands.

Italy were to have two entrants in the league, swelling its numbers to 12, alongside the four Irish, four Welsh and two teams from Scotland.

Aironi, an amalgamation of northern teams based in Viadana and Treviso, McLean's team, were to have been the two franchises.

But now that they will be confined to another season at least of Italian Super 10 rugby, McLean believes Italy might lose more of its best players to foreign shores.

"From everything I gather it seems as if for next season it's off," McLean told AFP.

"Obviously that's not a good result for me personally or Italian rugby. It would have been great to play these teams in the Celtic League.

Italy squad:

Forwards: Matias Aguero, Mauro Bergamasco, Marco Bortolami, Martin Castrogiovanni, Lorenzo Cittadini, Carlo Antonio Del Fava, Paul Derbyshire, Quintin Geldenhuys, Leonardo Ghiraldini (capt), Fabio Ongaro, Salvatore Perugini, Josh Sole, Alessandro Zanni.

Backs: Mirco Bergamasco, Riccardo Bocchino, Gonzalo Canale, Gonzalo Garcia, Craig Gower, Andrea Masi, Luke McLean, Simon Picone, Kaine Robertson, Alberto Sgarbi, Tito Tebaldi.

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