Nick Mallet makes 12 changes to Italy’s squad for World Cup pool match against Russia - Rugby
The Italy’s national rugby union team, commonly known as Azzurri’s, has announced their match day squad for the upcoming 2011 Rugby World Cup’s (RWC) Pool C encounter against Russia. Azzurri’s head coach, Nick Mallet, has listed his squad on Friday, September
16.
Italy will battle Russia on Tuesday, September 20 at Trafalgar Park, Nelson.
Mallet has made 12 changes to the Italian squad from their lineup which participated in the 2011 RWC opening encounter against the Wallabies. The Australians handed over a 32 – 6 defeat to North Harbour Stadium, North Shore City on Sunday, September 11.
The trio of Italy’s captain and number eight Sergio Parisse, backs player Tommaso Benvenuti and full-back Andrea Masi are the only unchanged players from the starting XV, which took the field against the Wallabies last Sunday.
Furthermore, Mallet has moved Tommaso Benvenuti from the right-winger to the outside centre position. Commenting on his move, Mallet has expressed his confidence that Benvenuti versatile skills make him capable of playing and adjusting to the requirements
of the different positions in the backs pack.
Mallet further added, “He (Benvenuti's) is our fastest player and is as comfortable in the centres as he is on the wing. He has played there a lot for Treviso, notably against Leicester and Perpignan, and knows what to do there.”
Giulio Toniolatti has been included in the match day 22 to start the match at the right-winger position vacated by Benvenuti's switch. He will form the winger pair with Luke Mclean, who moves into the starting xv from the bench. Meanwhile, Benvenuti will
form the centre pair with Matteo Pratichetti.
The duo of Riccardo Bocchino and Edoardo Gori will form the new halfback pair in place of Luciano Orquera and Fabio Semenzato. Luciano Orquera will start the match from the bench while Fabio Semenzato has been dropped from the match day 22 altogether.
The trio of the Lorenzo Cittadini, Fabio Ongaro, and Salvatore Perugini will form the new front row forwards line for the Azzurris. The duo of Marco Bortolami and Quintin Geldenhuys will form the new second row forwards pair.
Additonally, flankers Mauro Bergamasco and Paul Derbyshire will join Parisse in the back row forwards pack.
Italy’s match day squad for their upcoming encounter against the Russia consists of:
Starting XV: 15 Andrea Masi, 14 Giulio Toniolatti, 13 Tommaso Benvenuti, 12 Matteo Pratichetti, 11 Luke McLean, 10 Riccardo Bocchino, 9 Edoardo Gori, 8 Sergio Parisse (capt), 7 Mauro Bergamasco, 6 Paul Derbyshire, 5 Marco Bortolami, 4 Quintin
Geldenhuys, 3 Lorenzo Cittadini, 2 Fabio Ongaro, 1 Salvatore Perugini.
Replacements: 16 Tommaso D'Apice, 17 Martin Castrogiovanni, 18 Cornelius van Zyl, 19 Alessandro Zanni, 20 Pablo Canavosio, 21 Luciano Orquera, 22 Alberto Sgarbi
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