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RECAP: Italy vs France | 2021 Six Nations
By Sam Smith
Teams for Italy versus France, Stadio Olimpico, Saturday, 2.15pm GMT
Italy: J Trulla (Calvisano); L Sperandio (Benetton), M Zanon (Benetton), J-I Brex (Benetton), M Ioane (Benetton); P Garbisi (Benetton), S Varney (Gloucester); C Traore (Benetton), L Bigi (Zebre, capt), M Riccioni (Benetton), M Lazzaroni (Benetton), D Sisi (Zebre), S Negri (Benetton), J Meyer (Zebre), M Lamaro (Benetton).
Replacements: G Lucchesi (Benetton), D Fischetti (Zebre), G Zilocchi (Zebre), N Cannone (Benetton), F Ruzza (Benetton), M Mbanda (Zebre), G Palazzani (Zebre), C Canna (Zebre).
France: B Dulin (La Rochelle); T Thomas (Racing 92), A Vincent (Montpellier), G Fickou (Stade Francais), G Villiere (Toulon); M Jalibert (Bordeaux-Begles), A Dupont (Toulouse); C Baille (Toulouse), J Marchand (Toulouse), M Haouas (Montpellier), B Le Roux (Racing 92), P Willemse (Montpellier), D Cretin (Lyon), C Ollivon (Toulon, capt), G Alldritt (La Rochelle).
Replacements: P Bourgarit (La Rochelle), J-B Gros (Toulon), D Aldegheri (Toulouse), R Taofifenua (Toulon), A Jelonch (Castres), B Serin (Toulon), L Carbonel (Toulon), D Penaud (Clermont).
Referee: Matthew Carley (England).
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Latest Comments
My ‘fantasy’ team V Ireland,
Including options from ABXV if needed, as V Mun better V Ireland better prep than England.
The most important aspect V Ireland is AB need ALL their loosies AND 'loosie capable locks' on ALL match [except IF(?) any tiring ie the aging & slowing eg Cane]. As follows,
{starting} bench (3rd choice)
1 {De Groot} / Tu’ungafasi (Williams)
2 { anyone that can throw!! }/ Aumua (Brodie McAlister)
Ryan! coach lineouts & Aumua to throw!
3 {Lomax}/ Tosi (Newell )
Tosi immense strength V England
4,5 Locks { P.Tuipulotu, S.Barrett }, Vaa’i, Darry
( Isaia Walker-Leawere)
Vaa’i off V Eng. Assumed due to leg injury(?)
6,7,8 Loose forwards { Sititi, A.Savea, Cane } Vaa’i, S.Barrettm, P.Tuipulotu back up (Devan Flanders, Du'Plessis Kirifi )
9 {Roigard } Ratima ( TJ )
10 {D.McK} Perofeta ( Plummer)
12 {J.Barrett } ALB ( Q.Tupaea )
13 {Proctor} Ioane ( AJ Lam )
Ioane (off V England ) but Irish experience (NO not Sexton!)
14 { Tele’a} Reece (bkup W.Jordan )
11 {C.Clarke} Narawa (K.Naholo)
15 {W.Jordan} Love (Stevenson)
Go to commentsI guess the other option would be to start ALB, he's looked good in the 12 so far when he starts and sets up those outside him. But that would mean putting the vice captain on the bench, which is unlikely. Another option would be to drop Reiko to the bench and play Proctor, though he's gone home so that's not going to happen either.
Both of those players just offer more of the soft distribution skills good centres learn from playing their careers there. Unfortunately that's what's lacking with the current combo.
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