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Italy and Argentina name experienced squads for autumn opener

188 days ago

Ange Capuozzo (Photo by Federugby/Getty Images)

Italy and Argentina have both named sides with only two players with fewer than 10 caps for their encounter in Udine on Saturday.

Both sides will be looking to get their Autumn Nations Series campaigns off to winning starts, before the Azzurri face Georgia and the All Blacks and the Pumas face Argentina and France.

Winger Louis Lynagh and loosehead Mirco Spagnolo are Italy’s two players with under 10 caps, with four and six, while lock Franco Molina and winger Rodrigo Isgro, who replaced Lynagh at Harlequins over the summer, are Argentina’s two, with nine and four caps.

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Both sides have plenty of experience on their benches as well, with Danilo Fischetti, Simone Ferrari and Tommaso Allan all with over 40 caps for Gonzalo Quesada’s Italy.

Matías Alemanno, Matías Moroni and Santiago Cordero all have over 50 caps on Argentina’s bench, with Alemanno just three short of a century.

Fixture

Internationals

Italy

18 - 50

Full-time

Argentina

All Stats and Data

The Pumas boast an eight-match winning streak over Italy, dating back to 2008, with their most recent win coming in 2021.

It is unknown what Argentina side will show up in northern Italy though. While Felipe Contepomi’s side have registered wins over France, the All Blacks and South Africa this year, three of the top four sides in the world, they have also fallen to all three of those sides in fairly lifeless fashion.

This year has been a positive one for Italy though, who have won four of their last five matches, with their only loss coming in surprise fashion against Samoa in July.

Italy XV
1. Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
2. Gianmarco Lucchesi (Toulon Rc, 25 caps)
3. Marco Riccioni (Saracens, 28 caps)
4. Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 44 caps)
5. Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby, 57 caps)
6. Sebastian Negri (Benetton Rugby, 55 caps)
7. Michele Lamaro (Benetton Rugby, 41 caps) – captain
8. Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 22 caps)
9. Martin Page-relo (Lyon, 11 caps)
10. Paolo Garbisi (Toulon Rc, 39 caps)
11. Monty Ioane (Lione, 32 caps)
12. Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton Rugby, 20 caps)
13. Juan Ignacio Brex (Benetton Rugby, 38 caps)
14. Louis Lynagh (Benetton Rugby, 4 caps)
15. Ange Capuozzo (Toulouse, 21 caps)

Replacements
16 Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Francais, 25 caps)
17 Danilo Fischetti (Zebre Parma, 44 caps)
18 Simone Ferrari (Benetton Rugby, 56 caps)
19 Dino Lamb (Harlequins, 6 caps)
20 Manuel Zuliani (Benetton Rugby, 24 caps)
21 Alessandro Garbisi (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)
22 Tommaso Allan (Perpignan, 80 caps)
23 Marco Zanon (Benetton Rugby, 15 caps)

Argentina XV
1. Thomas Gallo (32 caps)
2. Julián Montoya (102 caps) captain
3. Joel Sclavi (24 caps)
4. Franco Molina (9 caps)
5. Pedro Rubiolo (17 caps)
6. Juan Martín González (37 caps)
7. Santiago Grondona (18 caps)
8. Joaquín Oviedo (10 caps)
9. Gonzalo Bertranou (65 caps)
10. Tomás Albornoz (14 caps)
11. Bautista Delguy (30 caps)
12. Matías Orlando (61 caps)
13. Lucio Cinti (29 caps)
14. Rodrigo Isgró (4 caps)
15. Juan Cruz Mallía (39 caps)

Replacements
16. Ignacio Ruiz (15 caps)
17. Ignacio Calles (5 caps)
18. Francisco Gómez Kodela (38 caps)
19. Matías Alemanno (97 caps)
20. Bautista Pedemonte (1 cap)
21. Gonzalo García (8 caps)
22. Matías Moroni (86 caps)
23. Santiago Cordero (53 caps)

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Comments

3 Comments

NK 186 days ago

Italy with two players over 50 caps and Argentina with three. "Experienced" is not the adjective that comes to mind first.

GrandDisse 187 days ago

Intriguing match-up. You never know which side of Argentina will show up, and Italy significantly improved in the last 6N. Hard to predict.

Utiku Old Boy 188 days ago

It will be interesting to see how Argentina go without Matera and Kremer in the mix. Should be a Latin fiesta!

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Comments on RugbyPass

Cantab 1 day ago

Teenager Braxton Sorensen-McGee reflects on dream Black Ferns debut

Although NZ won comfortably enough they weren’t always convincing and a better opposition may well have found them out. If our gun 7s players can translate their skills to the 15s game the team would have the ability to beat anyone. Need to be given the chance though.

4 Go to comments

James 2 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

And how do you see the Wallabies loosehead / Lion’s tighthead battle Nick?

37 Go to comments

dw 2 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Also interested in your thoughts on A Bell. Haven't noticed many scrum issues recently. He also seems to play 60 or so mins every game. A bit of a fan (even though he’s a tah..) but wondered if the Lions would target his scrummaging

37 Go to comments

dw 2 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

True. And you look at how the European coaches have got so much out of skelton and how much the local fans love him…and then some Oz fans will still say “he played poorly for the tahs I'm 2015!”

37 Go to comments

dw 2 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Thanks Nick but your headline has just jinxed us and reminded me of that night in 2013!

I love any analysis of the scrums such as the above. Cheers.

Allalatoa seems to be in good form and Nongorr appears to be able to hold his own? I think they will pick Tupou regardless of form. After Friday night I am concerned he could be sent off in the first five mins of the test though! He got too pumped up and hit a player high and was carded

37 Go to comments

RedWarriors 2 days ago

'Most complacent selection decision you will ever see': Barrett benching slammed as Leinster knocked out

I watched the mainstream NZ pundits eg Mils Muliaina and they DID back NZ to win almost to a man.

Ireland will talk their team up as anyone would with the caveats we are playing the ABs and match was de facto 50:50, That is not the same as dismissing the opposition. EG After the quarter John Kirwan said he was sorry France didn’t win versus SA becuase a ‘France-NZ final would be perfect. (The semis had not even been played yet, England and Argentina completely dismissed! He didn’t even realize his own arrogance) NZ are not even aware of the arrogance they exude. Has no Kiwi politely asked the national team to take down the ‘Superstars and Humble Heroes’ boasting on the AB site? Its cringeworthy stuff. Do NZ really see themselves like this?

Note all this BS about Irish arrogance started just after NZs defeat in the 2022 series. Not a coincidence.

Also: this is Irish national TV. We will talk our team up as everyone does. We care too much about judgemental and thin skinned Kiwis getting offended.

91 Go to comments

JM 2 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Aussie rugby fans are obsessed with players they hate, for whatever reason.

Michael Hooper is another one, and the hatred only increased whenever he won John Eales medals or the two times he was nominated world player of the year.

I reckon it is because our forwards are technically and mentally weak they put it all on one player who they think should make way for the messiah.

Same for the general team performance and the hate put on players like White, Lolesio, and Foley who should be pulling rabbits out of the hat every play.

I reckon, if we had of had 5 players with Hooper’s desire and drive spread across the team (and especiallythe forwards), we wouldn’t have woken up in the bottom of the ditch.

37 Go to comments

RedWarriors 2 days ago

'What he’s given to this club is nothing short of incredible'

He shouldn’t have been picked. Not physically able for the most intense matches notably in Twickenham last year. Giving him the captaincy was also a very short sighted decision then after RWC 2023. Ireland have a tendency to be a little too loyal, which can mean the team ages and the rebuild is bigger than should be.

Plenty of lads out there to fill that squad.

4 Go to comments

OJohn 2 days ago

Geoff Parling returns to Leicester as head coach

Hooray

0 Go to comments

Carlos 2 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

He was also a YC magnet.

37 Go to comments

Carlos 2 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Windsor-Faulkner-Price. 😊

37 Go to comments

Solenn Bonnet 2 days ago

Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

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0 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 2 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Ah, the Pooler front row ! Most legendary in the history of the , I would think. Max Boyce helped…”Here we. here we, here we go, with the Pontypool front row.”

37 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 2 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Would not go as far as whole house in our family, but for me, yes, W1. Loved playing in the scrum, love watching now😀

37 Go to comments

Mzilikazi 2 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Yes, I see that article here on RP, Nick. That is good news that Schmidt is going to look at the o’seas players.

Yes, I would think you are right that LAR will qualify. On the same points as MP, but surely they are too good not to win this crunch game….could be tEnse for ROG in the stands though.

37 Go to comments

BC 2 days ago

Who would make it into a Women's British and Irish Lions starting XV?

I would pick Oifa Wafer at 6, put Aldcroft in the second row with Ward. I think Wafer is one of the few non-England players mentioned that would contend for a Red Rose shirt, the others being King and possibly Neve Jones. Conversely there are two English players mentioned, Sing and Venner, that probably won’t even make the Red Rose WC squad, let alone a Lions Tour. Still a lot can change in two years, watch out for Millie David.

1 Go to comments

Otagoman II 2 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Great article NB, thanks. I would like to know what is the reasoning why so many things are penalties in the scrum. Is it to do with safety or something else?

37 Go to comments

NB 2 days ago

'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

👍