Kickoff: 3pm, Stadio Olympico Sunday on ITV ONE
Team news
Italy
1.D.Fischetti 2.G.Lucchesi 3.S.Ferrari 4.N.Cannone 5.F.Ruzza
6.S.Negri 7.M.Lamaro 8.L.Cannone 9.M.Page-Relo 10.P.Garbisi
11.S.Gesi 12.T.Menoncello 13.I.Brex 14.A.Capuozzo 15.T.Allan
16.G.Nicotera 17.M.Spagnolo 18.G.Zilocchi 19.R.Favreto
20.M.Zuliani 21.R.Vintcent 22.A.Garbisi 23.J.Trulla
France
1.Gros 2.Mauvaka 3.Atonio 4.Flament 5.Guillard
6.Cros 7.Boudehent 8.Alldritt 9.Dupont 10.Ramos
11.Bielle-Biarrey 12.Moefana 13.Barassi 14.Attissogbe 15.Barre
16.Marchand 17.Baille 18.Aldegheri 19.Taofifenua
20.Roumat 21.Jegou 22.Jelonch 23.Lucu
Italy have selected a 6-2 split on the bench to take on the French. Quesada has made one change to the team with Ioane out and replaced by Gesi on the wing. After registering a home win last week, the Italians will be hopeful of repeating that feat this week. A lot of confidence will have been gained from their draw away from home against France which would've been a win if not for some some wind-affected, referee-involved confusion right at the end. Given their disappointing performance against Scotland, this game probably represents their best shot at a statement win in this tournament.
The French enter this game feeling notably less good about themselves. After losing a game by just one point the French media were out for blood and Galthie has made some big changes. Jalibert and Penaud have been dropped from the squad entirely. Ramos moves to fly-half and Barre comes in to play fullback. Attissogbe, who scored twice in the opening game against Wales, starts on the right wing. Perhaps the biggest call from Galthie is the selection of seven forwards on the bench with just Lucu, who seems to have moved ahead of Le Garrec as Dupont's deputy, as the only back. It seems like the French have just decided to take out their frustration from the England game out on some Italians. This tactic does come with some serious risk, one injury to a single back and France are massively stretched. The counter argument to that is just one word - Dupont. He has shown he is capable of playing fly-half and outside centre already so perhaps the French tactic is simply to move Antoine Dupomt around herever necessary because he can probably fill the roll as well as anyone else. It's not a bad idea but Dupont does have to pick up his form this week. If the performance from last week is repeated, Italy will be in with a shot of an upset in Rome on Sunday.
Add comment
Comments