SA loose forward Ross Vintcent will play off the wood in Italy’s final Test of the 2025 Six Nations on Saturday, as one of seven changes to the team to face Ireland.
Vintcent, who scored a breathtaking try in last week’s defeat by England in London, has been relieved of the No 8 jersey and his spot at the back of the scrum handed to Lorenzo Cannone.
Meanwhile, Tommaso Allan returns at fullback after being dropped for the Twickenham clash, with Ange Capuozzo being moved back to wing.
TEAM: Prendergast benched, Crowley starts for Ireland
Martin Page-Relo starts at scrumhalf in place of Stephen Varney, while centre Juan Ignacio Brex takes the captaincy for the first time in the championship with usual skipper in flanker Michele Lamaro on the bench.
Italy are hoping to avoid the wooden spoon and sit fifth in the table on four points, but are only one point ahead of Wales who take on England in Cardiff.
Champions Ireland, who are still in with a chance of retaining the Six Nations, have not lost to Italy since 2013.
ITALY – 15 Tommaso Allan, 14 Ange Capuozzo, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex (c), 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Martin Page-Relo, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Manuel Zuliani, 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Dino Lamb, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 1 Danilo Fischetti.
Bench: 16 Giacomo Nicotera, 17 Mirco Spagnolo, 18 Giosue Zilocchi, 19 Niccolo Cannone, 20 Michele Lamaro, 21 Ross Vintcent, 22 Stephen Varney, 23 Leonardo Marin.
Six Nations round 5 fixtures:
Saturday
Italy vs Ireland, Rome, 4.15pm
Wales vs England, Cardiff, 6.45pm
France vs Scotland, Paris, 10pm
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Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
