Six Nations - Italy make two changes for England

Wed, 08 Feb 11:30:00 2012

Italy coach Jacques Brunel has made two changes to the side that lost the RBS 6 Nations opener against France for the game against England in Rome on Saturday.

Italy Ireland Rugby 2012 - 0

Aironi lock Marco Bortolami will earn his 90th cap as he replaces Benetton Treviso's Cornelius Van Zyl at number five.

Bortolami will partner club team-mate Quintin Geldenhuys, while Clermont-Auvergne centre Gonzalo Canale will start in place of Alberto Sgarbi, who has been omitted from the squad.

Brunel has made three alterations to his bench.

Benetton Treviso captain Antonio Pavanello could make his Six Nations debut this weekend while 20-year-old centre Luca Morisi has a chance to earn his first bow with Italy.

Also, veteran flanker Mauro Bergamasco has also been included in the 22-man squad after recovering from a shoulder injury that ruled him out of last year's tournament and of last weekend's 30-12 loss to France at the Stade de France.

Saturday's game will mark Italy's first-ever Six Nations game at Rome's Stadio Olimpico, with the venue expected to be sold out.

Italy team to face England: A Masi (Aironi Rugby), G Venditti (Aironi Rugby), T Benvenuti (Benetton Treviso), G Canale (Clermont-Auvergne), L McLean (Benetton Treviso), K Burton (Benetton Treviso), E Gori (Benetton Treviso); A Lo Cicero (Racing-Metro Paris), L Ghiraldini (Benetton Treviso), M Castrogiovanni (Leicester Tigers), Q Geldenhuys (Aironi Rugby), M Bortolami (Aironi Rugby), A Zanni (Benetton Treviso), R Barbieri (Benetton Treviso), S Parisse (Stade Francais).

Replacements: T D'Apice (Aironi Rugby), L Cittadini (Benetton Treviso), A Pavanello (Benetton Treviso), Mauro Bergamasco (Aironi Rugby), F Semenzato (Benetton Treviso), T Botes (Benetton Treviso), L Morisi (BancaMonte Parma Crociati).

PA Sport

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  1. Me thinks the chariot will get a flat wheel today.­ Southern England chariots don't know how to deal­ with snow.

    From Cymro, on Sat 11 Feb 18:11

  2. If England usé there bains and play with width and­ precision they will win. If they dont they will be­ defeated.

    From Kevin, on Fri 10 Feb 2:24

  3. We will flatten you.!!! Forza Italia !!!

    From Martino B, on Fri 10 Feb 0:23

  4. Olivier - last week is just that, last week....­ different venue and opponents. The new England team­ battled through a tough encounter against an up for it­ Scotland on their own turf. We all want the win, to­ carry on with the momentum gained in Scotland, however,­ I want to see another gutsy (if not yet entirely­ skilful), performance, against an agressive,­ experienced, desperate (to beat another top ranked­ team) for our scalp. It will be close.

    From alan.hawkes, on Thu 9 Feb 21:44

  5. Whipping boys no more, i thought they played well­ against France last week so i will be over the moon if­ we come away with another away win.

    From adrian, on Thu 9 Feb 17:53

  6. If I go by last week's games... Italy will win­ against England.

    From Olivier, on Thu 9 Feb 8:50

  7. I was very impressed with Italy , they were running the­ show against the French , but as usuall after all the­ pressure they got a couple of sucker punches, the score­ flatters the French, the Italy pack never took a step­ back. hard luck Italy.

    From john sloop b, on Thu 9 Feb 5:26

  8. It's true, Italy's changing but the allow to­ play so we can see how good England is. maybe the best­ difficulties are, for the fans, living and moving­ throughout Rome in real caos due to the snow...
    Swing­ low, sweet chariot...

    From Rama330, on Thu 9 Feb 1:38

  9. Italy aren't the push-overs they used to be and­ they play with real fire. It will be a tough game but­ we should edge it.

    From Bolton Ballshifters, on Thu 9 Feb 1:20
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