Six Nations: France ring the changes for Italy trip
Last Updated: 15/03/15 2:41pm
France make eight changes to they head to Rome to face Italy in the fourth round of the RBS Six Nations.
Philippe Saint-Andre has rung the changes as he guts the team that went down to Wales in Paris two weeks ago.
The French coach has returned to his preferred half-back pairing of Sebastien Tillous-Borde and Camille Lopez as his team tries to make a return to winning ways after back-to-back defeats.
Not all the changes were by choice - scrum-half Morgan Parra, centres Remi Lamerat and Wesley Fofana, as well as wing Sofiane Guitoune were all ruled out of the trip.
Scott Spedding replaces Brice Dulin at full-back, with wing Noa Nakaitaci and No 8 Loann Goujon set to earn their first international caps.
Centre Maxime Mermoz will start in his first appearance in this year's Six Nations.
Meanwhile Italy have made three changes to the team that beat Scotland in the last round in Edinburgh.
Wasps utility back Andrea Masi returns to the side at inside centre while Zebre wing Leonardo Sarto starts on the wing. Both missed the Scotland game due to injury.
Enrico Bacchin drops to the bench to make way for Masi, following his debut at Murrayfield.
Mauling
Flanker Samuela Vunisa makes his second start for the Italian team as he comes in at the expense of Simone Favaro who has not recovered from the knee injury he sustained in Edinburgh.
Zebre second rower Quinton Geldenhuys has been named on the bench as he features in the team for the first time in this year’s Six Nations.
Les Bleus have not beaten Italy in Rome since 2009, when they cruised to a 50-8 win over the Nick Mallett-coach Azzurri in a seven-try mauling. In 2011 they lost to 22-21 thanks to a Mirco Bergamasco penalty in the 75th minute and were defeated 23-18 two years later.
The French arrive in Rome with their campaign in tatters. After a win over Scotland in Paris they lost to Ireland in Dublin before falling to Wales two weeks after, prompting Saint-Andre to refer to his team as the Father Christmas of rugby.
Italy: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Leonardo Sarto, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Andrea Masi, 11 Giovanbattista Venditti, 10 Kelly Haimona, 9 Edoardo Gori, 1 Matias Aguero, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 3 Dario Chistolini, 4 George Biagi, 5 Josh Furno, 6 Francesco Minto, 7 Samuela Vunisa, 8 Sergio Parisse (c).
Replacements: 16 Andrea Manici, 17 Alberto De Marchi, 18 Lorenzo Cittadini, 19 Quintin Geldenhuys, 20 Marco Barbini, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Tommaso Allan, 23 Enrico Bacchin.
France: 15 Scott Spedding, 14 Yoann Huget, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Noa Nakaitaci, 10 Camille Lopez, 9 Sebastien Tillous-Borde; 1 Eddy Ben Arous, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 3 Nicolas Mas, 4 Alexandre Flanquart, 5 Yoann Maestri, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 7 Bernard Le Roux, 8 Loann Goujon.
Replacements: 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Rabah Slimani, 18 Vincent Debaty, 19 Romain Taofifenua, 20 Damien Chouly, 21 Rory Kockott, 22 Jules Plisson, 23 Mathieu Bastareaud.
