Italy name four uncapped players in team to play France in Six Nations
Thursday 4 February 2016 15:34, UK
Italy will field four uncapped players in Saturday's Six Nations curtain-raiser against France in Paris.
In the backs Zebre's David Odiete will make his debut at full-back with club team-mate Mattia Bellini given his first cap on the left wing.
In an apparent changing of the guard, coach Jacques Brunel leaves veteran prop Martin Castrogiovanni on the bench as Treviso hooker Ornel Gega joins fellow debutant and Zebre's loosehead prop Andrea Lovotti in the front row.
New Zealand-born fly-half Kelly Haimona remains on the bench after his recent recovery from injury, with the No 10 shirt going to Zebre's Carlo Canna, who is set to make his eighth Italy appearance alongside Edoardo Gori at scrum-half.
Italy captain Sergio Parisse will earn his 115th cap at No 8 to pull level with Castrogiovanni, who is Italy's most-capped player.
"It is up to us as experienced and senior players to guide them and help them reach the level quickly," said Parisse.
"It is important to bring new talent through all the time. We've had a few injuries and so there have been some new faces, but Jacques has been keen to move things along anyway.
"We've got to be at 100 per cent to win games like this. That hasn't changed. We of course have belief in ourselves, but now we need to follow that through."
Italy have 10 regulars sidelined by injuries, including Andrea Masi, Tommaso Allan, Simone Favaro, Josh Furno, Quintin Geldenhuys, Michele Rizzo, Luca Morisi, and Andrea Manici.
Italy: 15 David Odiete, 14 Leonardo Sarto, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Gonzalo Garcia, 11 Mattia Bellini, 10 Carlo Canna, 9 Edoardo Gori; 1 Andrea Lovotti, 2 Ornel Gega, 3 Lorenzo Cittadini, 4 George Fabio Biagi, 5 Marco Fuser, 6 Francesco Minto; 7 Alessandro Zanni, 8 Sergio Parisse (c).
Replacements: 16 Davide Giazzon, 17 Matteo Zanusso, 18 Martin Castrogiovanni, 19 Valerio Bernabo, 20 Andries Van Schalkwyk, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Kelly Haimona, 23 Luke McLean.
