DUBLIN (Reuters) – Ange Capuozzo returns to the Italy team which takes on Ireland in Dublin in the Six Nations on Sunday, with four changes from the side which lost to England last weekend.
Capuozzo had been named in the side to face England but withdrew due to illness, and has been named at fullback with Tommaso Allan dropping to the bench.
Head coach Gonzalo Quesada was forced into other changes after the rib injury to flanker Sebastian Negri, with Alessandro Izekor starting after coming off the bench for his first cap in the 27-24 defeat to England.
Lorenzo Cannone is also out with a knee injury, which sees captain Michele Lamaro moving to number eight and Manuel Zuliani into the starting side.
“Two elements will be missing in the forward department compared to the previous match, but we have a young group that wants to emerge,” Quesada said.
The other change has Stephen Varney back in at scrumhalf in place of Alessandro Garbisi who started last weekend.
Ross Vintcent has been named on the bench, and the South African born flanker could make his debut in Dublin for the Italians.
“In Dublin the focus will be on our performance and try to take a new step in our growth against one of the strongest teams in the world,” the head coach said.
“We have a tough game ahead of us and it will be crucial to be able to stay lucid throughout the game.”
Italy team: 15-Ange Capuozzo, 14-Lorenzo Pani, 13-Ignacio Brex, 12-Tommaso Menoncello, 11-Monty Ioane, 10-Paolo Garbisi, 9-Stephen Varney, 8-Michele Lamaro, 7-Manuel Zuliani, 6-Alessandro Izekor, 5-Federico Ruzza, 4-Niccolo Cannone, 3-Pietro Ceccarelli, 2-Gianmarco Lucchesi, 1-Danilo Fischetti.
Replacements: 16-Giacomo Nicotera, 17-Mirco Spagnolo, 18-Giosue Zilocchi, 19-Andrea Zambonin, 20-Ross Vintcent, 21-Martin Page-Relo, 22-Tommaso Allan, 23-Federico Mori.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes, Editing by William Maclean)
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