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One uncapped player included as Italy make six changes for opener against France

(Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Italy have made six changes to the starting team to face France on Saturday in the opening round of the Guinness Six Nations, five of those alterations coming in the pack following their fifth-place Autumn Nations Cup defeat to Wales at Llanelli last time out in December.

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There is just a single switch in the backline for the Garibaldi Trophy match, the uncapped Juan Ignacio Brex getting chosen for his Test debut in the midfield in place of Carlo Canna.  

The other six players chosen in the backline, including Monty Ioane who debuted in Wales, have a total of 24 caps between them, highlighting the evolution in the selection that is taking place under Franco Smith who took charge for the first time last February.  

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In the pack, only Johan Meyer, Marco Lazzaroni and Luca Bigi remain as starters from the defeat to Wales and Smith has rung multiple changes, including giving No8 Michele Lamaro a first Test start after two appearances off the bench.  

“We will face with courage a France team that showed its qualities during the last Six Nations and the Nations Cup,” said Smith, who is looking to deliver Italy their first win in a Six Nations match since 2015. “We follow our growth process to continue introducing the new generations.” 

ITALY (vs France, Saturday)
15 Jacopo TRULLA (Kawasaki Robot Calvisano, 3 caps)
14 Luca SPERANDIO (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
13 Marco ZANON (Benetton Rugby, 4 caps)
12 Juan Ignacio BREX (Benetton Rugby, uncapped)
11 Montanna IOANE (Benetton Rugby, 1 cap)
10 Paolo GARBISI (Benetton Rugby, 5 caps)
9 Stephen VARNEY (Gloucester Rugby, 3 caps)
8 Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)
7 Johan MEYER (Zebre Rugby Club, 9 caps)
6 Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 28 caps)
5 David SISI (Zebre Rugby Club, 11 caps)
4 Marco LAZZARONI (Benetton Rugby, 11 caps)
3 Marco RICCIONI (Benetton Rugby, 7 caps)
2 Luca BIGI (Zebre Rugby Club, 32 caps) – capt
1 Cherif TRAORE (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)

Replacements
16 Gianmarco LUCCHESI (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)
17 Danilo FISCHETTI (Zebre Rugby Club, 8 caps)
18 Giosuè ZILOCCHI (Zebre Rugby Club, 10 caps)
19 Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
20 Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 19 caps)
21 Maxime MBANDA (Zebre Rugby Club, 25 caps)
22 Guglielmo PALAZZANI (Zebre Rugby Club, 41 caps)
23 Carlo CANNA (Zebre Rugby Club, 47 caps)

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AM 9 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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