Six Nations: Alessandro Zanni returns for Italy against Scotland
Thursday 20 February 2020 14:40, UK
Alessandro Zanni returns to the Italy second row for Saturday's Six Nations match with Scotland in Rome.
The Benetton lock was a late withdrawal from the team that lost to France on February 9 after suffering an injury in the warm-up.
Zanni will win his 119th cap, moving him level with former Italy prop Martin Castrogiovanni as their second-most capped player behind Sergio Parisse.
Dean Budd drops to the bench to accommodate Zanni's return.
Interim head coach Franco Smith has kept faith with the team that played in patches against France, before ultimately falling to a record 24th successive Six Nations defeat.
Gloucester duo Callum Braley and Jake Polledri continue at scrum-half and flanker respectively, with Wasps' Matteo Minozzi named on the wing.
Italy's last Six Nations win came against Scotland on February 28, 2015.
Italy: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Mattia Bellini, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Carlo Canna, 11 Matteo Minozzi, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 Callum Braley; 1 Andrea Lovotti, 2 Luca Bigi (c), 3 Giosue Zilocchi, 4 Alessandro Zanni, 5 Niccolo Cannone, 6 Jake Polledri, 7 Sebastian Negri, 8 Abraham Steyn.
Replacements: 16 Federico Zani, 17 Danilo Fischetti, 18 Maro Riccioni, 19 Maro Lazzaroni, 20 Dean Budd, 21 Giovanni Licata, 22 Guglielmo Palazzani, 23 Giulio Bisegni.
