The experienced duo of Carlo Canna and Andrea Lovotti have been recalled to the Italy starting XV by head coach Franco Smith for the Round 2 clash with England this weekend.
After opening their Guinness Six Nations campaign with a 50-10 defeat to France in Rome, Italy will look to bounce back on Saturday afternoon at Twickenham – a venue at which they have never won.
Inside centre Canna and loosehead prop Lovotti both have more international caps (48 and 43 respectively) than anyone else in the Azzurri starting line-up and their veteran knowledge could prove key in southwest London.
Canna starts in place of the injured Marco Zanon, moving last week’s debutant Juan Ignacio Brex outside one position to No.13, while Lovotti will make his first international appearance in almost a year in place of Daniele Rimpelli – who drops out of the matchday 23 entirely.
Young half-back pairing Stephen Varney and Paolo Garbisi are handed the keys at No.9 and No.10 for the third consecutive match, while there are two new faces on the bench compared to a week ago with fly-half Tommaso Allan and centre Federico Mori making an appearance.
“We will face one of the best teams in the world in an iconic stadium,” said head coach Smith. “We have been working hard this week with further focus on some factors with the aim of having a high performance level on Saturday.”
Italy team to face England in Round 2 of the 2021 Guinness Six Nations 15. Jacopo Trulla (Kawasaki Robot Calvisano, 4 caps) 14. Luca Sperandio (Benetton Rugby, 9 caps) 13. Juan Ignacio Brex (Benetton Rugby, 1 cap) 12. Carlo Canna (Zebre Rugby Club, 48 caps) 11. Monty Ioane (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps) 10. Paolo Garbisi (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps) 9. Stephen Varney (Gloucester Rugby, 4 caps) 1. Andrea Lovotti (Zebre Rugby Club, 43 caps) 2. Luca Bigi (Zebre Rugby Club, 33 caps) – captain 3. Marco Riccioni (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps) 4. Marco Lazzaroni (Benetton Rugby, 12 caps) 5. David Sisi (Zebre Rugby Club, 12 caps) 6 Sebastian Negri (Benetton Rugby, 29 caps) 7. Johan Meyer (Zebre Rugby Club, 10 caps) 8. Michele Lamaro (Benetton Rugby, 3 caps)
Replacements: 16. Gianmarco Lucchesi (Benetton Rugby, 3 caps) 17. Danilo Fischetti (Zebre Rugby Club, 9 caps) 18. Giosuè Zilocchi (Zebre Rugby Club, 11 caps) 19. Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 9 caps) 20. Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby, 20 caps) 21. Guglielmo Palazzani (Zebre Rugby Club, 42 caps) 22. Tommaso Allan (Benetton Rugby, 60 caps) 23. Federico Mori (Kawasaki Robot Calvisano, 5 caps)
