Rugby: Italy make one forced change for Scotland
Canale replaces Sgarbi at inside centre
07 February, 16:53
(ANSA) - Rome, February 7 - Italy coach Jacques Brunel has
made just one change to his starting lineup for Saturday's Six
Nations match in Scotland after the Azzurri stunned France 23-18
in their opener in Rome.Brunel was forced to bring in Gonzalo Canale at inside centre after Alberto Sgarbi hurt his ankle in the Sunday's impressive victory over 2011 World Cup finalists France.
Prop Andrea Lo Cicero will make his 100th appearance for Italy at Murrayfield in Edinburgh on Saturday. "I could have made some changes to give freshness to the squad, but we thought that we couldn't change the team after the France match," Brunel told reporters.
"Last Sunday we really played how we want to play.
"Now we have to continue at the same level. This is the problem we have to overcome, especially when you play away".
The match between Scotland and Italy often decides who gets the Six Nations booby prize, the wooden spoon.
Brunel is expecting the home side to put up a big fight after they lost their first match of the tournament 38-18 in England. "Scotland have looked at the fixture list and said to themselves that they have to beat Italy to avoid the wooden spoon," said the coach.
"That's why they'll put all their forces into Saturday's match in Edinburgh. "It'll be very tough because they will give everything.
This week I've been trying to explain to the players the climate they will being going to play in". Italy team: 15-Andrea Masi, 14-Giovanbattista Venditti, 13-Tommaso Benvenuti, 12-Gonzalo Canale, 11-Luke McLean, 10-Luciano Orquera, 9-Tobias Botes, 8-Sergio Parisse (captain), 7-Simone Favaro, 6-Alessandro Zanni, 5-Francesco Minto, 4-Quintin Geldenhuys, 3-Martin Castrogiovanni, 2-Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1-Andrea Lo Cicero.
Replacements: 16-Davide Giazzon, 17-Alberto De Marchi, 18-Lorenzo Cittadini, 19-Antonio Pavanello, 20-Paul Derbyshire, 21-Edoardo Gori, 22-Kristopher Burton, 23-Gonzalo Garcia.
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