Match Day Programme: Italy vs Uruguay

After an emphatic first round win in the opening week of the tournament and then sitting out the second round, Italy return to action in the Rugby World Cup, when they take on Uruguay. The South Americans will be looking to cause a tournment upset againts La Azzuri after pushing hosts France all the way in round 2. The stage is set and the teams are warming up. Thank You for Joining us, this is Ultimate Rugby Match Day, the Rugby World cup edition.

Fixture: Italy vs. Uruguay 

Venue: Stade de Nice, Nice, France

Kickoff Time: 20:05 (GMT)

Referee: Tom Foley  

Head-to-head Played:

Played: 4

Italy Wins: 4

Uruguay: 0

Draws: 0

Rugby World Cup Head-to-Head 

Played: 0

Italy Wins: 0

Uruguay Wins: 5

Draws: 0

Points for:

Italy: 109

Uruguay: 35 

Biggest winning margin:

Italy: 32 ( 22 August 1999)

Last Meeting:  20 November 2021 – Italy 17-10 Uruguay - StadioOlimpico, Italy

World Cup Results

Italy

W 52-8  v Namibia

Uruguay

L 27-12 v France

World Cup Fixtures

Uruguay

­vs. Namibia

vs. New Zealand

Italy 

vs. New Zealand

vs. France

Referee:  Angus Gardner

Debut as Referee: 2011

Tests as Referee: 41

RWC Games as Referee: 4

Team News:

Italy: Head Coach Kieran Crowley has made four personnel changes to his starting XV from the team who defeated Namibia 52-8 in the opening round. • Marco Riccioni comes into the front-row, Niccolò Cannone into the second-row, Alessandro Garbisi into scrum-half and Lorenzo Pani into the wing. There are nine survivors in this match-day team from the last side to play Uruguay in Parma in 2021 – Sebastian Negri, Paolo Garbisi, Montanna Ioane, Danilo Fischetti, Luca Bigi, Federico Ruzza, Michele Lamaro, Pietro Ceccarelli, and Alessandro Fusco

Uruguay: Head coach Esteban Meneses has made only two changes to his starting XV from their last game, with German Kessler coming in at hooker, and Gaston Mieres onto the wing. • There are 13 survivors in the match-day from the last time they played Italy in 2021, including 11 in the starting XV - German Kessler, Ignacio Peculo, Manual Ardao, Nicolas Freitas, Felipe Etchverry, Tomas Inciarte, Manuel Diana, Diego Arbelo, Manuel Leindekar, Gaston Mieres and their only try-scorer that day, Matteo Sanguinetti

Italy Head Coach Notes

• This is the third Rugby World Cup that Kieran Crowley has been head coach after 2011 and 2015 with Canada. He will be chasing consecutive victories for the first time after his only victory in 2011 was followed by a loss next game.

• This will only be the second time he has coached against Uruguay, with one test in 2010 at Glendale during his time with Canada, winning 48-6. 

Uruguay Head Coach Notes

• Esteban Meneses is chasing his second RWC win as head coach, and first since their opening match in 2019 against Fiji.

• He was head coach of Uruguay the last time they played Italy in 2021, in what has been their only test against Six Nations opposition outside the Rugby World Cup cycle since 2019. 

DID YOU KNOW?

• Both teams remain unmoved on the World Rugby rankings, with Italy in 12th and Uruguay in 17th after round two.

• World Rugby’s “Keep Rugby Clean Weekend” campaign begins on both Saturday and Sunday. Teams will wear pink T-Shirts during the warm-ups to help raise awareness of World Rugby's anti-doping campaign to keep doping out of the sport and maintain a level playing field for all athletes.

• Uruguay will once again wear their away strip, while Italy will wear their home jersey for the first time at RWC 2023

● This will be the first meeting between Italy and Uruguay at the Rugby World Cup and will be the first time Italy have faced South American opposition at the tournament since beatingArgentina 31-25 in1995.