Cardiff v Aironi: Teams
Cardiff Blues will have to deal with a depleted squad when they host Aironi in the RaboDirect PRO12 on Thursday night.
Last Updated: 24/11/11 8:12pm
Cardiff Blues will have to deal with a depleted squad when they host Aironi in the RaboDirect PRO12 on Thursday night.
The Welsh team are enjoying a four-game winning streak in all competitions but have been hit hard by injuries and international call-ups ahead of the clash at Cardiff City Stadium.
A total of eight internationals, including Wales captain Sam Warburton, are absent after being called up by Warren Gatland for the Test against Australia on December 3.
Seven more players have been ruled out through injury, with No. 8 Xavier Rush the latest to be sidelined with a back problem.
Elsewhere, Richie Rees replaces Lloyd Williams at scrum-half, while Maama Molitika, Josh Navidi, Cory Hill and John Yapp all come into the pack.
Aironi also have their share of absentees with Matias Aguero out and Alberto De Marchi starting in his place, but Salvatore Perugini has pulled out of the Barbarians squad to play Australia on Saturday and will be on the bench.
The only Aironi player to wear the black-and-white shirt at Twickenham will be Marco Bortolami, who leaves Quintin Geldenhuys to captain the team.
George Biagi will play alongside the South African-born Italy international in the second row. The back row is all-new with Nicola Cattina returning after a week off, Filippo Ferrarini starting for the first time this season and Josh Sole switching to No. 8.
In the halves, Tito Tebaldi is back and so Naas Olivier can play at fly-half again as Italian Federation rules state that Italian RaboDirect PRO12 teams can't play with two foreign players at 9, 10 and 15 simultaneously.
Giulio Toniolatti starts on the wing while Sinoti Sinoti moves to outside centre alongside Gilberto Pavan. The back-line is completed by youngsters Giovanbattista Venditti on the wing and Ruggero Trevisan at full-back.
Cardiff Blues: 15 Chris Czekaj, 14 Richard Mustoe, 13 Gavin Evans, 12 Dafydd Hewitt, 11 Tom James, 10 Dan Parks, 9 Richie Rees, 8 Maama Molitika, 7 Josh Navidi, 6 Michael Paterson, 5 Paul Tito (c), 4 Cory Hill, 3 Taufaao Filise, 2 T Rhys Thomas, 1 John Yapp.
Replacements: 16 Marc Breeze, 17 Nathan Trevett, 18 Sam Hobbs, 19 Macauley Cook, 20 Ellis Jenkins, 21 Lewis Jones, 22 Ceri Sweeney 23 Casey Laulala, 22 Roberto Quartaroli, 23 Matteo Pratichetti.
Aironi: 15 Ruggero Trevisan, 14 Giulio Toniolatti, 13 Sinoti Sinoti, 12 Gilberto Pavan, 11 Giovanbattista Venditti, 10 Naas Olivier, 9 Tito Tebaldi, 8 Josh Sole, 7 Filippo Ferrarini, 6 Nicola Cattina; 5 George Biagi, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys (c), 3 Fabio Staibano, 2 Tommaso D'Apice, 1 Alberto De Marchi.
Replacements: 16 Fabio Ongaro, 17 Salvatore Perugini, 18 Lorenzo Romano, 19 Joshua Furno, 20 Frans Viljoen, 21 Tyson Keats, 22 Roberto Quartaroli, 23 Matteo Pratichetti.
