Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada has made three changes to his starting XV for Saturday’s Nations Championship clash against the All Blacks in Wellington.
Veteran fullback Tommaso Allan returns to the run-on side after featuring off the bench in last week’s defeat to Japan, while Louis Lynagh comes in on the wing for his first start of the tournament.
Exeter Chiefs, South African-born loose forward Ross Vintcent is the other change to the starting lineup after being promoted from the bench.
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Allan will earn his 91st Test cap as Italy look to bounce back from a disappointing 27-10 loss to Japan.
The Azzurri face a daunting challenge against the All Blacks, having lost all 18 previous Tests between the teams.
There is also a potential debut on the bench for Benetton loose forward Giulio Marini, who has been named among six forward replacements.
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New Zealand head into the match on the back of a hard-fought 34-32 victory over France in their Nations Championship opener.
ITALY – 15 Tommaso Allan, 14 Malik Faissal, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Louis Lynagh, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Stephen Varney, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (c), 6 Ross Vintcent, 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Marco Riccioni, 2 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 1 Danilo Fischetti.
Bench: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Mirco Spagnolo, Muhamed Hasa, Giulio Marini, Federico Ruzza, Riccardo Favretto, Alessandro Garbisi, Leonardo Marin.
– AFP
Photo: Danilo Di Giovanni/Getty Images
The post Allen, Lynagh recalled by Azzurri appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada has made three changes to his starting XV for Saturday’s Nations Championship clash against the All Blacks in Wellington.
The post Allen, Lynagh recalled by Azzurri appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
