Six Nations: Capuozzo to start at fullback against France in only change

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 20 - Italy fullback Ange Capuozzo will start for Italy when they face heavy favourites France on Sunday in Lille on Matchday 3 of the Six Nations rugby championship in the only change to the team that lost 20-13 to Ireland in Dublin last weekend after beating Scotland 18-15 at the Olimpico the previous weekend. The Stade Toulousain star, unavailable for previous matches, is the only new addition to the Italy squad recently announced by coach Gonzalo Quesada for the match that will decide the Garibaldi Trophy. Italy will wear the "Rosso Garibaldi" jersey, a red reminiscent of the Risorgimento hero Garibaldi jackets. Capuozzo will be the apex of the extended triangle, once again completed by Lynagh and Ioane. The center pairing is formed by Menoncello and Marin, with Paolo Garbisi and Alessandro Fusco taking the lead in midfield. Lorenzo Cannone and Manuel Zuliani will be on the back row alongside captain Lamaro. The second row will consist of Zambonin and Niccolò Cannone, while the front row will be composed of Ferrari, Nicotera, and Fischetti. Sunday's match will be the 51st between the two teams, with the last meeting in France being played in Lille, which ended 13-13 with fly-half Paolo Garbisi hitting the post at the end of the game. France are odds-on favourites for Sunday's game in Lille having thumped both Ireland and Wales, and for the whole tournament. The referee will be Irishman Andrew Brace. This is the lineup that will take to the field: 15 Ange Capuozzo (Stade Toulousain, 31 caps), 14 Louis Lynagh (Benetton, 11 caps), 13 Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton, 36 caps), 12 Leonardo Marin (Benetton, 19 caps), 11 Monty Ioane (Lyon, 44 caps), 10 Paolo GARBISI (Toulon, 51 caps), 9 Alessandro Fusco (Zebre Parma, 22 caps), 8 Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton, 35 caps), 7 Manuel Zuliani (Benetton, 40 caps), 6 Michele Lamaro (cap, Benetton, 51 caps), 5 Andrea ZAMBONIN (Exeter Chiefs, 16 caps), 4 Niccolò Cannone (Benetton, 60 caps), 3 Simone Ferrari (Benetton, 71 caps), caps), 2 Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Français, 38 caps), 1 Danilo FISCHETTI (Northampton Saints, 60 caps). Replacements: 16 Pablo Dimcheff (Colomiers Rugby, 3 caps), 17 Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton, 21 caps), 18 Giosuè Zilocchi (Benetton, 24 caps), 19 Federico Ruzza (Benetton, 69 caps), 20 Riccardo Favretto (Benetton, 10 caps), 21 David Odiase (Zebre Parma, 4 caps), 22 Alessandro Garbisi (Benetton, 21 caps), 23 Paolo Odogwu (Benetton, 8 caps). (ANSA). Read article...

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