Son of Australian legend to make Italy debut against Scotland while hulking flanker returns from injury
Italy flyer Louis Lynagh in action for Harlequins.
Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada has made four changes to his run-on side, which includes handing a Test debut to Louis Lynagh, for Saturday’s Six Nations Test with Scotland in Rome.
Former Harlequins flyer Lynagh, who was born in Treviso and joined Benetton less than a month ago, comes into the Azzurri‘s starting line-up on the right wing and slots into the back three alongside Ange Capuozzo (full-back) and Monty Ioane (left wing).
Tommaso Menoncello shifts to 12
Lynagh‘s selection means Tommaso Menoncello shifts from the right wing to inside centre, where he replaces Federico Mori, who did duty there in Italy’s 13-13 draw with France in their Round Three Six Nations clash in Lille a fortnight ago.
Menoncello forms a centre partnership with Juan Ignacio Brex while Paolo Garbisi and Martin Page-Relo complete the backline as the starting half-back combination.
Amongst the forwards, hulking blindside flanker Sebastian Negri is set make his return to action after sustaining a rib injury in Italy’s Six Nations opener against England in Rome last month.
Negri comes into the starting line-up at the expense of Riccardo Favretto, who drops out of the matchday squad, and is joined in the back-row by captain Michele Lamaro (openside flank) and Ross Vintcent (number eight).
Federico Ruzza and Niccolò Cannone retain their positions in the second-row while the final change sees Simone Ferrari returning as the starting tighthead prop with Giosuè Zilocchi relegated to bench duty.
Ferrari will pack down alongside Danilo Fischetti (loosehead prop) and Giacomo Nicotera (hooker) in the front-row.
Amongst the replacements, back-row Lorenzo Cannone is also set to return to action after recovering from injury while Gianmarco Lucchesi, Andrea Zambonin and Spanish Mirco are the rest of the forward substitutes.
Stephen Varney, Leonardo Marin and Mori have been included on the bench as the backline replacements.
Italy side to face Scotland
Italy: 15 Ange Capuozzo, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Martin Page-Relo, 8 Ross Vintcent, 7 Michele Lamaro (c), 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Danilo Fischetti
Replacements: 16 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17 Spanish Mirco, 18 Giosuè Zilocchi, 19 Andrea Zambonin, 20 Lorenzo Cannone, 21 Stephen Varney, 22 Leonardo Marin, 23 Federico Mori
Date: Saturday, March 9
Venue: Stadio Olimpico
Kick-off: 15:15 local (14:15 GMT)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Karl Dickson (England), Adam Leal (England)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)