Italy name match-day 23 to face Ireland
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Italy name match-day 23 to face Ireland
Italy head coach Kieran Crowley has announced his squad to face Ireland this weekend at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
The team sees two new rookies in the starting line-up, with Paolo Odogwu and Dino Lamb taking the field for the first time in the Azzurra shirt.
A tried and tested pair of centers will be formed by Brex and Menoncello, while the keys to the midfielder will be entrusted to Paolo Garbisi and Varney.
Second consecutive cap for captain Federico Ruzza who returns to the second line with Lamb.
On the bench, together with newcomer Buonfiglio, Bigi, Ferrari, N.Cannone, Lamaro, L.Cannone, Fusco and Pani are ready to take over.
15 Thomas ALLAN (Perpignan, 72 caps)
14 Paolo ODOGWU (Benetton Rugby, debutant)
13 Juan Ignacio BREX (Benetton Rugby, 23 caps)
12 Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, 11 caps)
11 Montanna IOANE (Lyon, 18 caps)
10 Paolo GARBISI (Montpellier, 24 caps)
9 Stephen VARNEY (Gloucester Rugby, 19 caps)
8 Toa HALAFIHI (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)
7 Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 11 caps)
6 Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 46 caps)
5 Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 42 caps) – captain
4 Dino LAMB (Harlequins, newcomer)
3 Marco RICCIONI (Saracens, 21 caps)
2 Giacomo NICOTERA (Benetton Rugby, 12 caps)
1 Danilo FISCHETTI (Zebre Parma, 31 caps)
Available
16 Luca BIGI (Zebre Parma, 46 caps)
17 Paolo BUONFIGLIO (Zebre Parma, newcomer)
18 Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 44 caps)
19 Niccolò CANNON (Benetton Rugby, 30 caps)
20 Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 26 caps)
21 Lorenzo CANNON (Benetton Rugby, 9 caps)
22 Alessandro FUSCO (Zebre Parma, 13 caps)
23 Lorenzo PANI (Zebre Parma, 1 cap)
This is the calendar of Italy's summer Test Matches
29.07 Scotland v Italy, Edinburgh – 25-13
05.08 Ireland v Italy, Dublin at 20 local time (21 Italian time)
19.08 Italy v Romania, San Benedetto del Tronto at 18.30
26.08 Italy v Japan, Treviso at 18.30
This is the calendar of Italy's matches in the RWC 2023 group:
09.09 Italy v Namibia, Saint-Etienne at 13.00
20.09 Italy v Uruguay, Nice at 17.45
29.09 New Zealand v Italy, Lyon at 21
06.10 France v Italy, Lyon at 21
