Northern | US
43 - 21
FT
52 - 29
FT
56 - 26
FT
Tomorrow
06:00
Rugby World Cup

Italy make key changes for showdown against New Zealand


NICE, FRANCE - SEPTEMBER 20: Stephen Varney of Italy warms up whilst wearing a Rugby World Cup France 2023 "Keep Rugby Clean" Anti-Doping warm-up shirt prior to the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between Italy and Uruguay at Stade de Nice on September 20, 2023 in Nice, France. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Comments
2 Comments

Italy have named their team for the upcoming Pool A match against New Zealand at OL Stadium in Lyon on Friday, 29 September.

ADVERTISEMENT

The starting XV sees Dino Lamb, Stephen Varney, and Luca Morisi join the lineup, with Niccolo Cannone moving to the bench, while Alessandro Garbisi and Lorenzo Pani are omitted.

Lamb replaces Niccolo Cannone in the second-row, boasting a try in two of his three career starts.

Varney partners with Paolo Garbisi at scrum-half, marking their sixth appearance together this year.

Luca Morisi returns to the midfield after his 47-minute performance against Namibia, facing the All Blacks for the first time since 2018.

Tommaso Allan takes the full-back position, with Paolo Garbisi at fly-half. Allan aims to become Italy’s all-time leading Rugby World Cup point-scorer, needing just five more points.

No player in the squad has ever scored against the All Blacks since Tommaso Boni in 2016.

ADVERTISEMENT

Paolo Garbisi leads Italy at RWC 2023 in carries (31) and shares the top spot for defenders beaten (7) and try assists (2), underlining his crucial role in the team.

ITALY TEAM TO PLAY NEW ZEALAND IN LYON

1 Danilo Fischetti
2 Giacomo Nicotera
3 Marco Riccioni
4 Dino Lamb
5 Federico Ruzza
6 Sebastian Negri
7 Michele Lamaro (c)
8 Lorenzo Cannone
9 Stephen Varney
10 Paolo Garbisi
11 Montanna Ioane
12 Luca Morisi
13 Juan Ignacio Brex
14 Ange Capuozzo
15 Tommaso Allan

Replacements:
16 Hame Faiva
17 Ivan Nemer
18 Simone Ferrari
19 Niccolo Cannone
20 Manuel Zuliani
21 Toa Halafihi
22 Martin Page-Relo
23 Paolo Odogwu

Fixture
Rugby World Cup
New Zealand
96 - 17
Full-time
Italy
All Stats and Data
ADVERTISEMENT
Play Video
LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

1

All Black great Ma'a Nonu leaves Toulon for new role at South African club

2
2

The three selections that reveal how Les Kiss’ Wallabies will play

20
3

Fissler Confidential: James O'Connor deal close; French points-machine in big demand

3
4

Eight possible bolters for the All Blacks' 44-man squad to tour South Africa

40
5

Ex-All Black left with 'two questions' over selections vs Springboks

37
6

Fabian Holland named for Otago return ahead of All Blacks squad naming

13
7

Nine players whose stock rose massively this July in Nations Championship

1
8

'Small steps': The ex-All Blacks coach in charge of reshaping Wallabies defence

6

Comments

2 Comments
Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Long Reads

LONG READ

'South Africa can widen the All Blacks' previously unseen faultlines'

While Dave Rennie made a positive start to his tenure as New Zealand head coach, a Test series in South Africa will expose any weakness.

35
LONG READ

Joe Schmidt bows out on a high - but can the Wallabies escape 'the twilight zone'?

The coach steps aside having made admirable progress across Australian rugby, but there is much to be done ahead of a home World Cup.

245
LONG READ

The U20 Junior World Championship - Team of the tournament

The best young players on the planet duked it out in Georgia for the bragging rights of being the best U20 team in the world, but who stood out?

31

Comments on RugbyPass

J
JW 21 minutes ago
The three selections that reveal how Les Kiss’ Wallabies will play

Say Slipper is still going as well as did last year NB can you save a player like that for the RWC, minimal minutes maximum body health, and still have him firing and in form for the Cup?

Interestingly Bazz has pointed out to me Grooter has dropped a few kgs this year according to Wilson @32 min https://www.tab.co.nz/punters/2026/07/podcast-pick-go/ thought you might like his shoutout about it



...

18 Go to comments
O
Over the sideline 23 minutes ago
All Blacks report card: All 32 Nations Championship players rated

Yes Hothem has been “God aweful” at kicking.

51 Go to comments
O
OutRun22 25 minutes ago
All Blacks report card: All 32 Nations Championship players rated

hes not hesitant like ratimer. Lennox is very quick not sure what games you have seen hes faster. Hotham is about as fast. I would put Preston and Pledger ahead of ratimer and lennox.

51 Go to comments
G
GM 26 minutes ago
'South Africa can widen the All Blacks' previously unseen faultlines'

Best analysis so far! Ireland were well beaten but still scored three tries from the limited possession they had. The Boks will be even more efficient, while the ABs will have to work so hard for everything. The comments that the ABs will.’run the Boks off their feet’ is not helpful - the ABs may only succeed in running themselves off their feet!

35 Go to comments
O
OutRun22 28 minutes ago
All Blacks report card: All 32 Nations Championship players rated

no he hasn’t hes god awful. good thing hes only getting 8min. Hotham , Preston are better. ratimer is hesitant and puts ab’s under pressure.

51 Go to comments
J
JW 31 minutes ago
All Blacks report card: All 32 Nations Championship players rated

Yeah he used it in the last few games for Landers thats the key an environment (my point about playing for Springboks) that he’s encouraged and given the opportunities not not just worry about his kicking and passing game.

51 Go to comments
O
Over the sideline 44 minutes ago
'South Africa can widen the All Blacks' previously unseen faultlines'

Mmmmm…. Didnt Ireland think they just had to make the quarter final to win it? How did that work out for Ireland? I hope SA are reading from the same story book of arrogance.

35 Go to comments
O
Over the sideline 49 minutes ago
'South Africa can widen the All Blacks' previously unseen faultlines'

Will also 100% contribut to constant ABs counter attack.

35 Go to comments
O
Over the sideline 58 minutes ago
Eight possible bolters for the All Blacks' 44-man squad to tour South Africa

He would be very dumb not to take a 4th 10. I dont think of Rennie as dumb.

40 Go to comments
O
Over the sideline 1 hour ago
All Blacks report card: All 32 Nations Championship players rated

I think Tupaea was superior to Proctor thru the whole series. I'd be looking to replace Proctor by the OCT tours.

51 Go to comments
O
Over the sideline 1 hour ago
All Blacks report card: All 32 Nations Championship players rated

Don’t watch. We are so glad we wont have to put up with such dribble in the comments section. Hate is a choice

51 Go to comments
O
Over the sideline 1 hour ago
All Blacks report card: All 32 Nations Championship players rated

Ratima has been great. Hotham has major kicking issues. Well known.

51 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
The three selections that reveal how Les Kiss’ Wallabies will play

I’m surprised how well Amatosero’s stats compete to LSLs.

On stats only really Darry and Dearns could rank better than LSL, but neither have been able to match his defensive output in dominant tackles. Both were better carriers with Dearns also better in the ruck and of course lineout steals. That’s not normalizing anyone, like Behree who was comparable with Darry when on the park, just pure output of course. Hannahs numbers are also comparable but I feel thats more because he played like a 6 than a tough lock.



...

18 Go to comments
T
TL 1 hour ago
Joe Schmidt bows out on a high - but can the Wallabies escape 'the twilight zone'?

It’s hard to see how any coach could have done much better and that coaches can only shift the dial so much in Australia, we’ve had some of the best in the world and the trajectory has been the same. The win/loss record is obviously an important metric, but it is only one metric, and not necessarily the best to assess a team that is really still in a building phase (2024 was recovery!). You could look at something like average losing margin, and the trajectory there is much better, with the 2025/2026 results close to half the losing margin in 2024 and during Eddie’s reign (roughly 10, compared to closer to 20). Much has been made of the so called merry-go-round at 10 (really sick of that phrase but here I am using it), but losing Noah, Lygnah and Dono between Fiji and SA games in 2025, and Carter then Dono in 2026 had nothing to do with Joe. He consistently backed his first choices and backed youth at 10 when he could. The injuries led to a massive increase in uncertainty around whether to risk players who weren’t ready or back experience but lose the future benefit. In that situation I think we need to permit our coaches a greater degree of experimentation and error. Much has been made of the LSL situation, but what about how Joe’s selections at lock have led to some real depth of capability there, with players that weren’t as conspicuously impressive (e.g. Williams, Canham). Joe has made his mistakes, but he righted the trend that was heading sharply down, and I suspect that as with what he left in Ireland and as with Stuart Lancaster your old mate, the true test of his time will be what happens in the wake.

245 Go to comments
W
Wayneo 1 hour ago
All Black great Ma'a Nonu leaves Toulon for new role at South African club

“Pensioners discount” was a good one but I doubt its’ the case.

Its our bodies that determine how long we can play sport so if he is still able to then I don’t see why he should not contineu.



...

2 Go to comments
A
Alex 2 hours ago
New European club competition set to launch next month

Loving what's going on in European rugby at the moment

2 Go to comments
B
Bruiser 3 hours ago
Contest or no contest? The eternal struggle between the Springboks and All Blacks

Good for teams with little imagination

876 Go to comments
B
Bruiser 3 hours ago
Contest or no contest? The eternal struggle between the Springboks and All Blacks

Appealing to be simple people no doubt

876 Go to comments
B
Bazzallina 3 hours ago
All Black great Ma'a Nonu leaves Toulon for new role at South African club

We already have one covert agent ready to come in from the cold in the near future now we have commenced stage 2 of the plan with code 12

2 Go to comments
B
Bazzallina 3 hours ago
All Blacks report card: All 32 Nations Championship players rated

I wonder how much bigger he is now he def looks it reckon he will be in a program to add a few more kgs but it’s def helped him yup he will def go snd eill play done 6 as he iften finished games there for Saders

51 Go to comments
Close Panel
Close Panel

Edition & Time Zone

{{current.name}}
Set time zone automatically
{{selectedTimezoneTitle}} (auto)
Choose a different time zone
Close Panel

Editions

Close Panel

Change Time Zone

Search Timezones
Close
ADVERTISEMENT
Copied to clipboard

Share Article close