Planet Rugby

One change for Italy

07th February 2013 13:41

Gonzalo Canale Italy 6N 2012

Starting at 12: Gonzalo Canale

There is just one injury-enforced change to the Italy side that will face Scotland in the Six Nations at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Coach Jacques Brunel has kept faith with the team that shocked France in Rome last week with the only change coming in midfield.

Inside centre Alberto Sgarbi has been ruled out with an ankle injury, meaning La Rochelle centre Gonzalo Canale starts having recovered from a thigh niggle.

On the bench, Zebre centre Gonzalo Garcia fills the gap left by Canale's promotion.

Brunel has retained the half-back pairing of Luciano Orquera and Tobias Botes, the former having kicked 10 points in the France victory before Kris Burton sealed the win with a 68th-minute drop goal.

Burton once again starts on the bench for the Azzurri, who will travel to Murrayfield hoping to notch their third successive win in the tournament having capped last year's edition with victory over Scotland.

Edinburgh could also be a memorable occasion for loose-head prop Andrea Lo Cicero, who will pick up his 100th Italy cap in the Scottish capital to sit just one behind the 101-cap record of Alessandro Troncon.

The last time the Azzurri visited the Scottish capital, the hosts won 23-12.

Italy's next Six Nations game at home is against Wales on February 23.

Italy: 15 Andrea Masi, 14 Giovambattista Venditti, 13 Tommaso Benvenuti, 12 Gonzalo Canale, 11 Luke McLean, 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Tobias Botes, 8 Sergio Parisse (c), 7 Simone Favaro, 6 Alessandro Zanni, 5 Francesco Minto, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Andrea Lo Cicero.
Replacements: 16 Davide Giazzon, 17 Alberto De Marchi , 18 Lorenzo Cittadini, 19 Antonio Pavanello, 20 Paul Derbyshire, 21 Edoardo Gori, 22 Kristopher Burton, 23 Gonzalo Garcia.

Date: Saturday, 9 February
Venue: Murrayfield
Kick-off:14:30 GMT
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: John Lacey (Ireland), Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Television match official: Marshall Kilgore (Ireland) (Wales)

Comments

Lucasrg says...

On a side note....Barbieri is playing this week for Treviso...I really hope is because there are some friction with Brunel....Barbieri is at his prime.

Posted 22:27 07th February 2013

Lucasrg says...

Yes this is a good formation, and Canale,when inspired, can be a good player.

I was more for mas at 12 and McLean for fullback, with Iannone/Boates wing and Gori at 9. I feel that Gori is not yet at 100%. Still, a very good secon half sub...plus Derbyshire can even play on the wing! yes...I know, Gori too.

I'm just shocked that Denton dosn't start, he's been pretty active against the English.

Posted 21:29 07th February 2013

carpelone says...

Tellitlikeitis

At 12, no at 10. My mistake.

Posted 20:43 07th February 2013

HRFC2 says...

easier than France i reckon

Posted 20:14 07th February 2013

tellitlikeitis says...

mahy people called for Masi at ten?? Carpelone, I'm convinced you make up most of the stuff you write

Posted 18:37 07th February 2013

carpelone says...

Masi to be at 12, sorry

Posted 15:05 07th February 2013

carpelone says...

Mmmm. Botes was not bad on Sunday, but he managed to make two crucial mistakes. I know that it is difficult to change a winning team, however I think that Gori should start ahead of him. Many people called for Masi to be at 10, and shuffle the backline a bit, but I think Brunel got this right. Masi is there also to provide cover to Orquera and they switch 10 / 15 position. It worked very well. In addition, both McLean and Venditti were good, so do not fix what is not broken yet. I would only swap Canale Benvenuti position. Anyway, it is going to be tough for Italy.

Posted 14:09 07th February 2013

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