Rugby Union - Six Nations Championship - Italy v Wales - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - February 8, 2025 Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada before the match REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo
ROME, Feb 5 (Reuters) - An injury-hampered Italy have been forced to reshuffle their side for their Six Nations opener against Scotland on Saturday, but will still have a trio of players earn their 50th caps.
Italy host Scotland in Rome without key fullback Ange Capuozzo, as well as Tommaso Allan, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Sebastian Negri, Ross Vintcent, and Jacopo Trulla, who are all nursing injuries and were not selected in the original squad named last month for their opening match.
Coach Gonzalo Quesada’s plans have been further disrupted by Bordeaux scrumhalf Martin Page-Relo failing to recover from injury and returning to his French club this week, while Stephen Varney has been training separately to recover from an adductor muscle injury.
But centre Juan Ignacio Brex, flyhalf Paolo Garbisi, and captain Michele Lamaro will all mark their 50th appearance for Italy in Saturday’s test.
The absences of Page-Relo and Varney mean Alessandro Fusco slots into scrumhalf alongside Garbisi.
Leonardo Marin moves from centre to fullback in Capuozzo’s absence, allowing Brex to resume his midfield combination with Tommaso Menoncello.
Three Zebre players, who have yet to play in the Six Nations, were named on the bench -- hooker Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, prop Muhamed Hasa, and flyhalf Giacomo Da Re.
Italy edged Scotland 31-29 the last time they hosted them in Rome two years ago, but in last year's Six Nations, Scotland won 31-19 at Murrayfield.
Team: 15-Leonardo Marin, 14-Louis Lynagh, 13-Juan Ignacio Brex, 12-Tommaso Menoncello, 11-Monty Ioane, 10-Paolo Garbisi, 9-Alessandro Fusco, 8-Lorenzo Cannone, 7-Manuel Zuliani, 6-Michele Lamaro (captain), 5-Andrea Zambonin, 4-Niccolò Cannone, 3-Simone Ferrari, 2-Giacomo Nicotera, 1-Danilo Fischetti
Replacements: 16-Tommaso di Bartolomeo, 17-Mirco Spagnolo, 18-Muhamed Hasa, 19-Federico Ruzza, 20-Riccardo Favretto, 21-Alessandro Garbisi, 22-Giacomo da Re, 23-Lorenzo Pani.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Toby Davis)
