6 Nations - Mauro starts at nine for Azzurri

Eurosport - Thu, 05 Feb 12:09:00 2009

Italy have switched Mauro Bergamasco from the flank to scrum-half for their Six Nations opener with England at Twickenham on Saturday.

Mauro Bergamasco - Itay - 0

The Stade Francais back-rower (pictured) fills in at scrum-half due following injuries to regular number nines Pablo Canavosio, Simon Picone and Pietro Travagli.

Canavasio has failed to recover from a knee injury and Picone and Travagli are sidelined for the whole tournament.

"I didn't have much choice," Italy coach Nick Mallett said. "I saw in training that he had the same passing ability and more experience than the others.

"Psychologically he has no fear of this challenge. It won't make the difference between victory and defeat against England."

Mauro Bergmasco will form a half-back pairing with Andrea Marcato, while his younger brother Mirco has been moved from centre to wing to accomodate Gonzalo Canale and Gonzalo Garcia in midfield.

Leicester tigthead Martin Castrogivani returns to the side after a year out with injury and packs down in the front row with hooker Fabio Ongaro and prop Salvatore Perugini in a side skippered by Stade Francais number eight Sergio Parisse.

Italy: 15-Andrea Masi, 14-Kaine Robertson, 13-Gonzalo Canale, 12-Gonzalo Garcia, 11-Mirco Bergamasco, 10-Andrea Marcato, 9-Mauro Bergamasco; 8-Sergio Parisse (cap), 7-Alessandro Zanni, 6-Josh Sole, 5-Marco Bortolami, 4-Santiago Dellape, 3-Martin Castrogiovanni, 2-Fabio Ongaro, 1-Salvatore Perugini.

Replacements: 16-Carlo Festuccia, 17-Carlos Nieto, 18-Tommaso Reato, 19-Jean-Francois Montauriol, 20-Giulio Toniolatti, 21-Luke McLean, 22-Matteo Pratichetti.

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 4 of 4

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  1. This is going to be funny. I've seen Mirco help out­ at scrum half for Stade when they've struggled but­ never Mauro.

    From zigi, on Thu 5 Feb 1:46AM

  2. i think if you're the opposition scrum half you­ have a lot to worry about facing this guy...

    From ptothej, on Thu 5 Feb 12:15AM

  3. Like the first post here says, I'm as open minded­ as the next person but the two Bergamascos started out­ as flankers so having one on the wing and the other at­ scrum half does seem a bit exotic even for me.

    From Fozzie, on Wed 4 Feb 5:50PM

  4. any player can fill in at 9 to help out but an out and­ out back row filling the berth for 80 mins against­ england i dont think italy will get much ball,­ Bergamasco likes to get into rucks and mauls and mix it­ with the other back rowers and i think that he will get­ caught up as a back row and neglect the duties of the­ 9, italy back line will get no chance to play with­ Bergamasco at scrum half

    From derek c, on Wed 4 Feb 5:28PM
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