Big name missing as Italy announce key squad changes for Ireland clash

Star full-back Ange Capuozzo has recovered from a broken finger and been named in Italy’s 33-man squad for Saturday’s clash against Ireland in round two of the Guinness Men’s Six Nations.

Capuozzo suffered the injury in Toulouse’s final match of 2025, a 60-14 victory over La Rochelle, and sat out the 18-15 win over Scotland in Rome.

The World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year in 2022, who started all three Autumn internationals, scoring tries against South Africa and Chile, is joined in the squad by scrum-half Stephen Varney, who had been sidelined by an abductor muscle problem.

Italy XV winger Simone Gesi has also been called up by head coach Gonzalo Quesada, but Juan Ignacio Brex misses the match due to “family reasons.”

Brex came up with the assist for Louis Lynagh’s opening try against Scotland in his 50th cap for the Azzurri and has been a key cog in their midfield.

However, Quesada insists it is the right call to leave him out. “Nacho is a player of great value to the team, both on and off the pitch, but in managing the team, the human aspect and family—in my opinion—will always be a priority,” he said.

“We discussed it with him, and the decision we made is the best one. To stay focused on your work, it’s important to remain calm: in every area, with players and staff; we work with individuals first, rather than with professionals.”

Italy Squad:

Props
Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 70 caps)
Danilo FISCHETTI (Northampton Saints 59 caps)
Muhamed HASA (Zebre Parma 5 caps)
Mirco SPAGNOLO (Benetton Rugby, 20 caps)
Giosuè ZILOCCHI (Benetton Rugby, 24 caps)

Hookers
Tommaso DI BARTOLOMEO (Zebre Parma, 7 caps)
Pablo DIMCHEFF (Colomiers Rugby, 3 caps)
Giacomo NICOTERA (Stade Français, 37 caps)

Second Row
Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 59 caps)
Riccardo FAVRETTO (Benetton Rugby, 9 caps)
Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 68 caps)
Andrea ZAMBONIN (Exeter Chiefs, 15 caps)

Back Row
Lorenzo CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 34 caps)
Alessandro IZEKOR (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 50 caps)
Samuele LOCATELLI (Zebre Parma, rookie)
David ODIASE (Zebre Parma, 3 caps)
Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 39 caps)

Scrum-halves
Alessandro FUSCO (Zebre Parma, 21 caps)
Alessandro GARBISI (Benetton Rugby, 20 caps)
Stephen VARNEY (Exeter Chiefs, 36 caps)

Fly-halves
Giacomo DA RE (Zebre Parma, 6 caps)
Paolo GARBISI (Toulon, 50 caps)

Centre
Leonardo MARIN (Benetton Rugby, 18 caps)
Damiano MAZZA (Zebre Parma, rookie)
Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, 35 caps)
Paolo ODOGWU (Benetton Rugby, 7 caps)

Back-three
Ange CAPUOZZO (Stade Toulousain, 31 caps)
Matt GALLAGHER (Benetton Rugby, 3 caps)
Simone GESI (Zebre Parma, 5 caps)
Monty IOANE (Lyon, 43 caps)
Louis LYNAGH (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)
Lorenzo PANI (Zebre Parma, 9 caps)

Not considered due to injury/rehab:

Tommaso ALLAN (Perpignan, 87 caps)
Gianmarco LUCCHESI (Toulon, 33 caps)
Martin PAGE-RELO (Bordeaux, 21 caps)
Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 65 caps)
Marco RICCIONI (Saracens, 36 caps)
Edoardo TODARO (Northampton Saints, 1 cap)
Jacopo TRULLA (Zebre Parma, 17 caps)
Ross VINTCENT (Exeter Chiefs, 19 caps)