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O'Shea turns to Canna in the absence of injured Allan
By Alex Fisher
Tommaso Allan's shoulder injury has handed Carlo Canna the chance to impress when Italy take on France in the Six Nations on Saturday.
Allan dislocated his shoulder during the second half of Italy's 36-15 defeat to England last time out, a result that leaves Conor O'Shea's side bottom of the table still waiting for their first point.
With his first-choice fly-half ruled out, O'Shea has turned to Zebre's Canna - who replaced Allan against England - to try and dictate the clash with France in Rome, where a bonus-point win would move them level with their opponents.
Canna is one of three changes made by O'Shea, with Angelo Esposito coming in on the wing for Giulio Bisegni and experienced hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini starting ahead of Ornel Gega.
La vostra #Italrugby per #ITAvFRA di sabato 11 marzo all'Olimpico di Roma pic.twitter.com/hDHASh2ctU
— Italrugby (@Federugby) March 7, 2017
The eyes of the rugby world will be on Italy's performance after their innovative 'no-ruck' tactics at Twickenham that drew the ire of Eddie Jones and perplexed England for the opening 40 minutes.
Eventually England worked out a plan to negate the tactics and finished with a flourish to maintain their unbeaten run.
Italy: Edoardo Padovani, Angelo Esposito, Michele Campagnaro, Luke McLean, Giovanballista Venditti, Carlo Canna, Edoardo Gori; Andrea Lovotti, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Lorenzo Cittadini, Marco Fuser, Dries van Scalkwyk, Braam Steyn, Simone Favaro, Sergio Parisse.
Replacements: Tommaso D'Apice, Sami Panico, Dario Chistolini, George Biagi, Maxime Mbanda, Giorgio Bronzini, Tommasso Benvenuti, Luca Sperandio
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Latest Comments
The way Ratima has been treated he needs to look OS. Same with Perofeta and Love, Hothem too. Razor is a token coach. Gives debuts but very few mins. Also DM too. Just go earn millions elsewhere DM as all you get in NZ is bagging.
BB is coaches favourite and I say let him have BB right thru to the next 2 or maybe even 3 World cups.😁😁 Have JB outside him at 12...That just works so well.
Go to commentsIt certainly needs to be cherished. Despite Nick (and you) highlighting their usefulness for teams like Australia (and obviously those in France they find form with) I (mention it general in those articles) say that I fear the game is just not setup in Aus and NZ to appreciate nor maximise their strengths. The French game should continue to be the destination of the biggest and most gifted athletes but it might improve elsewhere too.
I just have an idea it needs a whole team focus to make work. I also have an idea what the opposite applies with players in general. I feel like French backs and halves can be very small and quick, were as here everyone is made to fit in a model physique. Louis was some 10 and 20 kg smaller that his opposition and we just do not have that time of player in our game anymore. I'm dying out for a fast wing to appear on the All Blacks radar.
But I, and my thoughts on body size in particular, could be part of the same indoctrination that goes on with player physiques by the establishment in my parts (country).
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