Italy receives attacking threat boost for France showdown
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Italy has been boosted by the return of one of their most lethal attacking backs for their Six Nations Three clash against France on Sunday.
Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada has brought in dashing outside back Ange Capuozzo in his only change to the side.
Capuozzo missed Italy’s first two tournament matches with a finger injury suffered playing for his club side Toulouse against La Rochelle in December.
He returned to training last week but did not make the squad for the 13-20 defeat to Ireland in Dublin.
The French-born 26-year-old is 10th on the list of Italy’s all-time top try-scorers with 16 touchdowns in his 31 Tests.
Although usually a wing, he replaces Lorenzo Pani at fullback after the 23-year-old Zebre back was given his first start for the Azzurri in almost two years against Ireland.
With wings Louis Lynagh, the son of Wallaby great Michael, and Australian-born Monty Ioane in fine form, Capuozzo lines up at fullback, a position he knows well.
Italy are still without Argentine-born centre Juan Ignacio Brex, who played in their opening 18-15 win over Scotland but has been missing since then for family reasons.
The only other changes for Italy come on the replacements bench where hooker Pablo Dimcheff, who will make his Six Nations bow, and prop Giosue Zilocchi come in for Tommaso Di Bartolomeo and Albanian-born Muhamed Hasa respectively.
Replacement lock Federico Ruzza will make his 70th appearance for Italy if he comes on.
Italy: 15 Ange Capuozzo, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 12 Leonardo Marin, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Alessandro Fusco, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Manuel Zuliani, 6 Michele Lamaro (captain), 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Danilo Fischetti
Replacements: 16 Pablo Dimcheff, 17 Mirco Spagnolo, 18 Giosue Zilocchi, 19 Federico Ruzza, 20 Riccardo Favretto, 21 David Odiase, 22 Alessandro Garbisi, 23 Paolo Odogwu
Date: Sunday, February 22
Venue: Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille
Kick-off: 16.10 (15.10 GMT)
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Luke Pearce (England), Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ireland)
