Rugby Union - Six Nations Championship - Italy v Scotland - Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy - March 9, 2024 Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada during the warm up before the match REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo
(Reuters) - Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada has made eight changes from the side which lost to Argentina last weekend when he named his team on Friday to face Georgia, with Matt Gallagher replacing Ange Capuozzo at fullback.
Argentina ran out 50-18 winners last Saturday in Udine, and while three of Quesada's changes are due to injury, the coach has decided to shake things up, especially in the front row.
Capuozzo left the action after six minutes against Argentina with a head injury, and with the fullback ruled out for the Georgia game due to the head injury assessment protocols, Gallagher comes in to earn his second cap.
Ross Vintcent replaces Lorenzo Cannone after the number eight suffered a nasal fracture against Argentina, while lock Dino Lamb comes in for Federico Ruzza who went off with a rib injury in that defeat.
Jacopo Trulla is selected at wing with Louis Lynagh dropped for the Georgia game, and Alessandro Garbisi comes in for Martin Page-Relo at scrumhalf, lining out alongside his flyhalf brother Paolo.
Quesada has changed the whole front row, with hooker Giacomo Nicotera and props Simone Ferrari and Danilo Fischetti all in the starting side having come off the bench against Argentina.
Giulio Bertaccini has been named among the replacements, and the centre will likely make his international debut if he comes on against Georgia in Genoa.
15-Matt Gallagher, 14-Jacopo Trulla, 13-Juan Ignacio Brex, 12-Tommaso Menoncello, 11-Monty Ioane, 10-Paolo Garbisi, 9-Alessandro Garbisi, 8-Ross Vintcent, 7-Michele Lamaro (captain), 6-Sebastian Negri, 5-Dino Lamb, 4-Niccolo Cannone, 3-Simone Ferrari, 2-Giacomo Nicotera, 1-Danilo Fischetti
Replacements:
16-Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17-Mirco Spagnolo, 18-Pietro Ceccarelli, 19-Riccardo Favretto, 20-Manuel Zuliani, 21-Alessandro Fusco, 22-Leonardo Marin, 23-Giulio Bertaccini.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
