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Landmark occasion for trio as Italy name team for Scotland
By Josh Raisey
Italy captain Michele Lamaro, centre Juan Ignacio Brex and fly-half Paolo Garbisi will all earn their 50th caps against Scotland on Saturday in round one of the Guinness Six Nations at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Lamaro will lead what is a settled Italian team named by Gonzalo Quesada, who will be looking to repeat the victory they earned over Scotland at home two years ago.
In the absence of Toulouse full-back Ange Capuozzo, who has broken his finger, Benetton’s Leonardo Marin will wear the No.15 shirt with Louis Lynagh and Monty Ioane on either wing.
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Juan Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello will reunite again to form their familiar centre partnership, playing outside Garbisi. With Martin Page-Relo and Stephen Varney injured, Zebre’s Alessandro Fusco will be Garbisi’s half-back partner.
Only one player in the pack, lock Andrea Zambonin, has fewer than 30 caps, with Lamaro joining Danilo Fischetti, Simone Ferrari and Niccolo Cannone as a half-centurion at the weekend.
Italy XV
15. Leonardo Marin (Benetton Rugby, 17 caps)
14. Louis Lynagh (Benetton Rugby, 9 caps)
13. Juan Ignacio Brex (Toulon, 49 caps)
12. Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton Rugby, 34 caps)
11. Monty Ioane (Lyon, 42 caps)
10. Paolo Garbisi (Toulon, 49 caps)
9. Alessandro Fusco (Zebre Parma, 20 caps)
1. Danilo Fischetti (Northampton Saints, 58 caps)
2. Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Français, 36 caps)
3. Simone Ferrari (Benetton Rugby, 69 caps)
4. Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 58 caps)
5. Andrea Zambonin (Exeter Chiefs, 14 caps)
6. Michele Lamaro (Benetton Rugby, 49 caps) (c)
7. Manuel Zuliani (Benetton Rugby, 38 caps)
8. Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 33 caps)
Replacements
16. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Zebre Parma, 6 caps)
17. Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton Rugby, 19 caps)
18. Muhamed Hasa (Zebre Parma, 4 caps)
19. Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby, 67 caps)
20. Riccardo Favretto (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
21. Alessandro Garbisi (Benetton Rugby, 19 caps)
22. Giacomo Da Re (Zebre Parma, 6 caps)
23. Lorenzo Pani (Zebre Parma, 8 caps)
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