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Favaro returns as Italy change four for Ireland showdown
By Peter Hanson
Simone Favaro returns to Italy's starting XV to face Ireland in the Six Nations in one of four changes from head coach Conor O'Shea.
The big-hitting flanker, who this week announced he will not be staying at Glasgow Warriors next season, has struggled with shoulder and ankle injuries and was not risked for the opening-round loss against Wales.
However, Favaro returns to openside flanker to face Ireland in Rome, with Maxime Mbanda playing at seven and Abraham Steyn dropping to the bench.
Andries van Schalkwyk comes into the second row in place of George Biagi and Leonardo Ghiraldini is preferred to Ornel Gega at hooker.
The only change in the backs sees Angelo Esposito take Giulio Bisegni's place on the right wing.
Italy team: Team: Edoardo Padovani, Angelo Esposito, Tommaso Benvenuti, Luke McLean, Giovanbattista Venditti, Carlo Canna, Edoardo Gori; Andrea Lovotti, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Lorenzo Cittadini, Marco Fuser, Andries van Schalkwyk, Maxime Mbanda, Simone Favaro, Sergio Parisse
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Latest Comments
I think we need to get innovative with the new laws.
Now red cards are only 20 minutes, Razor should send Finau on a head hunting mission to hospitalise their 10 with a shoulder to the chops.
Give the conspiracy theorists a win.
Go to commentsEngland played well enough to win but couldnt score when they needed to and couldnt defend a couple of X-Factor moments from Telea which was ultimately the difference. They needed to hold the ball more and make the AB's make more tackles. Territorially they were good for the first 60. Defending their lead and playing pragmatic rugby in the last 20 was silly. The AB's always had the potential to come back. England still have a long way to go, definite progress would have been shown had they won but it seems they are still stuck where they were shortly after the six nations and their tour to NZ
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