Italy Name Team For Ravenhill Encounter
Italy coach Pierre Berbizier has made seven changes to his team for Friday night’s World Cup warm-up match against Ireland (Ravenhill, kick-off 7.45pm).
Roland De Marigny has been given a chance to impress at out-half as Ramiro Pez is nursing a shoulder injury sustained in last Saturday’s 36-12 victory over Japan.
The other back-line change see Marko Stanojevic, who touched down twice against Japan, drops out of the matchday 22 with Matteo Pratichetti to don the number 11 jersey.
The remaining alterations are in the pack with prop Andrea Lo Cicero and hooker Carlo Festuccia making way for Salvatore Perugini and Fabio Ongaro in the front row, Valerio Bernabo replaces Santiago Dellape in the second row and the two flanker berths have gone to Robert Barbieri and Alessandro Zanni, who has recovered from a thigh injury.
New inclusions on the replacements bench are Matias Aguero, Paul Griffen and Ezio Galon.
ITALY TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v Ireland, Ravenhill, Friday, August 24, kick-off 7.45pm):
15 – David Bortolussi (Montpellier) 9 caps
14 – Kaine Robertson (Arix Viadana) 22 caps
13 – Gonzalo Canale (Clermont Auvergne) 32 caps
12 – Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais) 43 caps
11 – Matteo Pratichetti (Cammi Calvisano) 6 caps
10 – Roland De Marigny (Cammi Calvisano) 16 caps
9 – Alessandro Troncon (Clermont Auvergne) 96 caps
1 – Salvatore Perugini (Toulouse) 43 caps
2 – Fabio Ongaro (Saracens) 48 caps
3 – Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester Tigers) 44 caps
4 – Valerio Bernabo (Brive) 10 caps
5 – Marco Bortolami (Gloucester) 60 caps (capt)
6 – Alessandro Zanni (Cammi Calvisano) 15 caps
7 – Robert Barbieri (Benetton Treviso) 5 caps
8 – Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais) 43 caps
Replacements:
16 – Leonardo Ghiraldini (Cammi Calvisano) 5 caps
17 – Matias Aguero (Arix Viadana) 6 caps
18 – Josh Sole (Arix Viadana) 20 caps
19 – Manoa Vosawai (Overmach Cariparma) 1 cap
20 – Paul Griffen (Cammi Calvisano) 34 caps
21 – Pablo Canavosio (Castres) 15 caps
22 – Ezio Galon (Overmach Cariparma) 10 caps