[ad_1]
Franco Smith maintains the same starting XV that made England look very normal for much of the Twickenham match, while Mbanda, Traore, Braley and Bellini are new to the bench. I would have been tempted to start the monstrous Federico Mori in the band to counter some of James Lowes’ physical presence, but Smith is an international coach and I’m writing this, so why would you care what tempts me?
Andy Farrell makes seven changes in an attempt to give his team a shove on their indecisive and heavy butt. Captain Johnny Sexton is back to bring experience, if not exactly form, to the proceedings, while Jordan Larmour replaces Keith Earls on the wing.
Up front is a new front row from Dave Kilcoyne, the dynamic Ronan Kelleher and the ever-dependable Tadhg Furlong to give the Italians some trouble in the scrum but also loose, where this trio will be a handful. Totem James Ryan returns to the lock and Will Connors takes the back row.
Italy: Jacopo Trulla; Luca Sperandio, Juan Ignacio Brex, Carlo Canna, Montanna Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Andrea Lovotti, Luca Bigi, Marco Riccioni, Marco Lazzaroni, David Sisi, Sebastian Negri, Johan Meyer, Michele Lamaro.
Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Cherif Traore, Giosuè Zilocchi, Niccolò Cannone, Maxime Mbanda, Callum Braley, Federico Mori, Mattia Bellini.
Ireland: Hugo Keenan; Jordan Larmour, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Jonathan Sexton, Jamison Gibson Park; Dave Kilcoyne, Ronan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, Iain Henderson, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne, Will Connors, CJ Stander.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Cian Healy, Andrew Porter, Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Craig Casey, Billy Burns, Keith Earls.
[ad_2]