O'Shea makes two changes to Italy team to face Wales

Conor O’Shea has made two changes as struggling Italy look to end an 18-match losing streak in the Six Nations.

The Italians opened their latest campaign with a 33-20 defeat to Scotland in Edinburgh last weekend and O’Shea, still searching for his first win in this third championship in charge, has made some alterations as they prepare to host Wales on Saturday in Rome.

Edoardo Padovani, a try-scoring replacement at Murrayfield, comes into the backline and Nicola Quaglio into the front row. Padovani’s inclusion on the right wing sees Michele Campagnaro shifted into the centre, with Tommaso Castello dropping out of the match day 23. Quaglio, meanwhile, gets his chance at loosehead prop as Andrea Lovotti has the flu.

? #Italrugby: annunciati i titolari in campo sabato all’Olimpico per #ITAvWAL, secondo appuntamento del @SixNationsRugby 2019 ? https://t.co/w5dGkNxx9q#insieme #rugbypassioneitaliana @SeiNazioniRugby pic.twitter.com/XUrfBBCw7l

— Italrugby (@Federugby) February 7, 2019

Italy fell 33-3 behind Scotland before generating a late three-try rally which convinced O’Shea not to make wholesale changes to his team.

It means Quaglio joins Simone Ferrari and Leonardo Ghiraldini in the front row while Dean Budd and David Sisi remain in the second row. Sergio Parisse will captain again from No8 with Abraham Steyn and Sebastian Negri either side.

Another opening round try-scorer, Guglielmo Palazzani, keeps his spot at scrum-half, Tommaso Allan remains at out-half, Campagnaro and Luca Morisi make up the midfield, with the promoted Padovani joining Jayden Hayward and Angelo Esposito in the back three.

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In the replacements, Edoardo Gori comes onto the bench as scrum-half cover while Marco Barbini is another new sub for the front row.

The Azzurri are facing a much-changed Wales team. Their coach, Warren Gatland, opted to make 10 alterations to the side came from 16 points down to beat France in their opening match in Paris.

ITALY (v Wales, Saturday)

15 Jayden HAYWARD (Benetton Rugby, 13caps)
14 Edoardo PADOVANI (Zebre Rugby Club, 16caps)
13 Michele CAMPAGNARO (Wasps, 39 caps)
12 Luca MORISI (Benetton Rugby, 21 caps)
11 EXPOSED Angel (Benetton Rugby, 16caps)
10 Tommaso ALLAN (Benetton Rugby, 44 caps)
9 Guglielmo PALAZZANI (Zebras Rugby Club, 29 caps)
8 Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 135caps) – captain
7 Abraham Jurgens STEYN (Benetton Rugby, 26caps)
6 Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 13 caps)
5 Dean BUDD (Benetton Rugby, 17 caps)
4 David SISI (Zebre Rugby Club, 1 cap)
3 Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 18caps)
2 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Stade Toulousian, 100 caps)
1 Nicola QUAGLIO (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)

REPLACEMENTS:

16 Luca BIGI (Benetton Rugby, 16 caps)
17 Cherif TRAORE ‘(Benetton Rugby, 6caps)
18 Tiziano PASQUALI (Benetton Rugby, 14caps)
19 Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
20 Marco BARBINI (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)
21 Edoardo GORI (Benetton Rugby, 68 caps)
22 Ian MCKINLEY (Benetton Rugby, 5 caps)
23 Tommaso BENVENUTI (Benetton Rugby, 56caps)