Parisse Returns To Captain Italy

Sergio Parisse is back for Italy, the biggest of five changes to the starting line-up from the 23-18 victory over Canada in Leeds.

Parisse, who has recovered from a calf injury, resumes at number 8 in place of Samuela Vunisa, and also takes the captaincy duties back from hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini, who misses the match with a thigh muscle injury.

The talismanic Stade Francais forward is joined in the back row by Simone Favaro, who makes his first World Cup start after appearing off the bench in the 32-10 opening defeat by France.

Italy have won three of the last four Tests when Parisse and Favaro started together in the back row, a sequence that started with their first ever Six Nations win over Ireland (22-15) in Rome in March 2013.

There are 13 players in Italy’s matchday 23 that were involved that day, and five of those are in the starting pack – tighthead prop Lorenzo Cittadini and second rows Quintin Geldenhuys and Josh Furno joining Parisse and Favaro.

ITALY Team & Replacements (v Ireland, 2015 Rugby World Cup Pool D, Olympic Stadium, London, Sunday, October 4, kick-off 4.45pm):

15. Luke McLean (Benetton Treviso)
14. Leonardo Sarto (Zebre)
13. Michele Campagnaro (Exeter Chiefs)
12. Gonzalo Garcia (Zebre)
11. Giovanbattista Venditti (Newcastle Falcons)
10. Tommaso Allan (Perpignan)
9. Edoardo Gori (Benetton Treviso)
1. Matias Aguero (Unattached)
2. Andrea Manici (Zebre)
3. Lorenzo Cittadini (Wasps)
4. Ouintin Geldenhuys (Zebre)
5. Josh Furno (Newcastle Falcons)
6. Francesco Minto (Benetton Treviso)
7. Simone Favaro (Glasgow Warriors)
8. Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais) (capt)

Replacements:

16. Davide Giazzon (Benetton Treviso)
17. Michele Rizzo (Leicester Tigers)
18. Dario Chistolini (Zebre)
19. Alessandro Zanni (Benetton Treviso)
20. Mauro Bergamasco (Unattached)
21. Guglielmo Palazzani (Zebre)
22. Carlo Canna (Zebre)
23. Tommaso Benvenuti (Bristol)