Italy coach Quesada rings the changes for Ireland showdown
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Gonzalo Quesada on Thursday announced seven changes to his Italy team to host Ireland in the final round of Six Nations matches this weekend.
Tommaso Allan returns at fullback after being dropped for last weekend’s 24-47 defeat by England at Twickenham, with Ange Capuozzo being moved back to wing for Saturday’s game.
Martin Page-Relo starts at scrumhalf in place of Stephen Varney while centre Juan Ignacio Brex takes the captain’s armband for the first time in the Six Nations with usual skipper Michele Lamaro on the bench.
Italy are hoping to avoid the wooden spoon and sit fifth in the table on four points, but are only one point ahead of Wales who take on England in Cardiff.
Champions Ireland, who are still in with a chance of retaining the Six Nations, have not lost to Italy since 2013.
Italy: 15 Tommaso Allan, 14 Ange Capuozzo, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex (captain), 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Martin Page-Relo, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Manuel Zuliani, 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Dino Lamb, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 1 Danilo Fischetti.
Replacements: 16 Giacomo Nicotera, 17 Mirco Spagnolo, 18 Giosue Zilocchi, 19 Niccolo Cannone, 20 Michele Lamaro, 21 Ross Vintcent, 22 Stephen Varney, 23 Leonardo Marin.
Date: Saturday, March 15
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Kick-off: 15.15 (14.15 GMT)
Referee: Luke Pearce (England)
Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Morné Ferreira (South Africa)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (France)
Six Nations
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