Three changes for Italy for Sunday's game away to Ireland

Italy boss Kieran Crowley has made three changes to his team to take on Ireland this Sunday in the Guinness Six Nations in Dublin. Beaten by France and England so far in this year’s tournament, the Azzurri remain on a championship losing streak that dates back to the 2015 campaign. 

Crowley will now look to snap that barren 34-game Six Nations run with an Italy selection that sees Pierre Bruno come onto the wing for Federico Mori, Leonardo Marin start at centre for Marco Zanon, and Giovanni Pettinelli take over at blindside from Braam Steyn.

The Italian boss said: “We have prepared the next meeting by focusing on the aspects of the game that did not satisfy us in the first two games. We face the next commitment with energy and the desire to improve. It will be a physically tough match against one of the strongest teams in the world.”

ITALY (vs Ireland, Sunday) 

15 Edoardo PADOVANI (Benetton Rugby, 32 caps)

14 Pierre BRUNO (Zebre Parma, 1 cap)

13 Juan Ignacio BREX (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)

12 Leonardo MARIN (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)

11 Montanna IOANE (Benetton Rugby, 11 caps)

10 Paolo GARBISI (Montpellier, 15 caps)

9 Stephen VARNEY (Gloucester Rugby, 11 caps)

8 Toa HALAFIHI (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)

7 Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 12 caps) – captain

6 Giovanni PETTINELLI (Benetton Rugby, 3 caps)

5 Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 27 caps)

4 Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 17 caps)

3 Pietro CECCARELLI (Brive, 18 caps)

2 Gianmarco LUCCHESI (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)

1 Danilo FISCHETTI (Zebre Parma, 17 caps

Replacements:

16 Epalahame FAIVA (Benetton Rugby, 3 caps)

17 Ivan NEMER (Benetton Rugby, 4 caps)

18 Tiziano PASQUALI (Benetton Rugby, 23 caps)

19 David SISI (Zebre Parma, 18 caps)

20 Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 1 cap)

21 Braam STEYN (Benetton Rugby, 47 caps)

22 Alessandro FUSCO (Fiamme Oro Rugby/Zebre Parma, 3 caps)

23 Marco ZANON (Benetton Rugby, 9 caps)