Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada has made one change to his Italy side for Saturday’s crucial Guinness Men’s Six Nations encounter with Wales in Rome.
Benetton lock Niccolo Cannone comes into the second row in place of Harlequins forward Dino Lamb, who drops to the replacements’ bench.
The only other change to the matchday 23 comes on the bench where Jacopo Trulla replaces the injured Simone Gesi.
Italy
Wales
Italy opened their Six Nations campaign with a 31-19 defeat to Scotland at Murrayfield last Saturday.
That was the Azzurri’s third defeat in their last four Tests, but they will start Saturday’s match at the Stadio Olimpico as favourites against a Wales team they beat 24-21 in Cardiff 11 months ago.
A repeat of that result in the first match of round two in Rome would give them strong belief they can avoid the Six Nations Wooden Spoon for the second successive year.
Italy team to play Wales
15. Tommaso Allan (USAP, 82 caps)
14. Ange Capuozzo (Stade Toulousain, 24 caps)
13. Juan Ignacio Brex (Benetton Rugby, 42 caps)
12. Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton Rugby, 24 caps)
11. Monty Ioane (LOU, 36 caps)
10. Paolo Garbisi (RC Toulon, 43 caps)
9. Martin Page-Relo (LOU, 14 caps)
8. Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 24 caps)
7. Michele Lamaro (captain, Benetton Rugby, 44 caps)
6. Sebastian Negri (Benetton Rugby, 59 caps)
5. Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby, 60 caps)
4. Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 48 caps)
3. Simone Ferrari (Benetton Rugby, 60 caps)
2. Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Francais), 29 caps)
1. Danilo Fischetti (Zebre Parma, 48 caps)
Replacements
16. Gianmarco Lucchesi (RC Toulon, 29 caps)
17. Luca Rizzoli (Zebre Parma, 1 cap)
18. Marco Riccioni (Saracens, 31 caps)
19. Dino Lamb (Harlequins, 10 caps)
20. Manuel Zuliani (Benetton Rugby, 28 caps)
21. Ross Vintcent (Exeter Chiefs, 10 caps)
22. Alessandro Garbisi (Benetton Rugby, 14 caps)
23. Jacopo Trulla (Zebre Parma, 12 caps)
