Six Nations 
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Italy make three changes for Wales with Ange Capuozzo ruled out
Italy have made three changes from the team that defeated Scotland last weekend for their Wooden Spoon decider against Wales at the Principality Stadium on Saturday in round five of the Guinness Six Nations.
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Fullback Ange Capuozzo is a notable absence from the team, two years after creating Italy’s match-winning try against Wales at the same venue. The Toulouse fullback broke his finger in the 31-29 win over Scotland in Rome.
Lorenzo Pani comes back into the squad to wear the No15 jersey in place of the injured Capuozzo.
There is one other change in the back line, with scrum-halves Stephen Varney and Martin Page-Relo swapping roles from last week, with the former starting in Cardiff. Page-Relo joins Leonardo Marin as one of two backs among the substitutes, as Gonzalo Quesada has opted for a 6-2 split.
No8 Lorenzo Cannone retakes his place in the starting XV, with the Exeter Chiefs’ Ross Vintcent dropping to the bench. Cannone missed rounds two and three of the Championship with a knee injury, but returned to the bench last weekend.
Following a 13-13 draw with France in round three and their win over Scotland in round four, Italy head into the match with a lot of confidence, particularly when considering they won this fixture two years ago.
The Azzurri have a four-point lead over Warren Gatland’s side in the standings, and a superior points difference of eleven points. That means they can still lose the match and avoid receiving the Wooden Spoon, providing they do not give Wales any bonus points and stay within eleven points.
A losing bonus point will guarantee Italy do not finish at the foot of the table, regardless of how many tries Wales score.
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Italy XV
15 Lorenzo PANI (Zebre Parma, 7 caps)
14 Louis LYNAGH (Harlequins, 1 cap)
13 Juan Ignacio BREX (Benetton Rugby, 34 caps)
12 Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, 16 caps)
11 Monty IOANE (Lyon29 caps)
10 Paolo GARBISI (Toulon, 35 caps)
9 Stephen VARNEY (Gloucester, 28 caps)
8 Lorenzo CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 18 caps)
7 Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 37 caps) – cap
6 Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 54 caps)
5 Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 53 caps)
4 Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 40 caps)
3 Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 52 caps)
2 Giacomo NICOTERA (Benetton Rugby, 22 caps)
1 Danilo FISCHETTI (Zebre Parma, 40 caps)
Replacements
16 Gianmarco LUCCHESI (Benetton Rugby, 21 caps)
17 Mirco SPAGNOLO (Benetton Rugby, 4 caps)
18 Giosuè ZILOCCHI (Benetton Rugby, 20 caps)
19 Andrea ZAMBONIN (Zebre Parma, 7 caps)
20 Ross VINTCENT (Exeter Chiefs, 3 caps)
21 Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 20 caps)
22 Martin PAGE-RELO (Lyon, 7 caps)
23 Leonardo MARIN (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments