Italy Head Coach Kieran Crowley will test out his squad depth for this Saturday’s Rugby World Cup warm-up match against Scotland. There are numerous notable players that have not been selected for Crowley’s team, including fly half talisman Paolo Garbisi.
The Azzurri’s captain Michele Lamaro and his regular back-row partner Sebastian Negri and also miss out, in what is an opportunity for new-coming Azzurri stars to stake their claim in the 2023 Rugby World Cup squad.
There are two debutants in the starting Italian XV, as Toulouse scrum half Martin Page-Relo takes over at halfback for Gloucester’s Stephen Varney, and 21-year-old Zebre fullback Lorenzo Pani takes over the 15 jersey from Capuozzo, who takes an extended break after his end of season injury with Toulouse.
“The match against Scotland represents an important first step towards the Rugby World Cup.” Kieran Crowley said to the Italy Rugby website.
“Many players will have the opportunity to play in a high-level international Test Match showing their skills to enter the squad for the World Cup. It will also be a time to evaluate the first part of preparation for the next matches” said Kieran Crowley.
The regular Italian front row of Danilo Fischetti (on the bench), Giacomo Nicotera and Simeone Ferrari is replaced by Benetton’s Federicho Zani, 5 test-capped hooker Epalahame Faiva and Perpignan’s Pietro Ceccarelli. The Zebre duo of David Sisi and Andrea Zambonin pack down the second row, with Zambonin set to make only his third cap for Italy.
Experienced Italian flanker Federico Ruzza takes up the captaincy on the blindside, with Italian fringe players Manuel Zuliani and Toa Halafihi getting the opportunity to round off the back row. The back line stacks up with Page-Relo and ex-Harlequin Tommaso Allan at nine and ten, with Luca Morisi and Tommaso Menoncello in the midfield.
Newcomer Lorenzo Pani is joined by his Zebre Parma teammate Pieree Bruno in the back-three, with Lyon’s Monty Ioane rounding off the side on the left wing.
Marco Manfredi, Danilo Fischetti, Filippo Alongi, Edoardo Iachizzi, Lorenzo Cannone, Alessandro Garbisi, Giacomo Da Re and Federico Mori are ready to take over from the bench at Murrayfield.
This Rugby World Cup Warm-Up match kicks off in Edinburgh at 3:15pm UK time.
Italy Starting XV:
15. Lorenzo Pani (Uncapped) 14. Pierre Bruno (12 caps) 13. Tommaso Menoncello (10 caps) 12. Luca Morisi (44 caps)11. Montanna Ioane (17 caps) 10. Thomas Allan (71 caps) 9. Martin Page-Relo (Uncapped) 8. Toa Halafihi (9 caps) 7. Manuel Zuliani (10 caps) 6. Federico Ruzza (41 caps) 5. Andrea Zambonin (2 caps) 4. David Sisi (27 caps) 3. Pietro Ceccarelli (26 caps) 2 Epalahame Faiva (5 caps) 1. Federico Zani (21 caps)
REPLACEMENTS: 16. Marco Manfredi (1 cap) 17. Danilo Fischetti (30 caps) 18. Filippo Alongi (1 cap) 19. Edoardo Iachizzi (5 caps) 20. Lorenzo Cannone (8 caps) 21. Alessandro Garbisi (4 caps) 22. Giacomo Da Re (1 cap) 23. Federico Mori (12 caps)