Former Italy captain Marco Bortolami has been ruled out for six weeks with two facial fractures and will miss a large part of the Six Nations.

"The player will have to rest for a period not less than six weeks," team doctor Gianluca Melegati told the Italian Rugby Federation website (www.federugby.it).

The lock, captain during last year's World Cup when they went out in the pool stage, was injured playing for club side Gloucester in the Heineken Cup last weekend.

New coach Nick Mallett decided on Friday to appoint Sergio Parisse as captain in place of Bortolami but news of his injury is still a big blow to the Italians, who registered their best ever Six Nations showing last year with two victories.

Italy start their Six Nations campaign against Ireland in Dublin on Feb. 2 with their last match at home to Scotland on March 15.

Reuters