Italy make three changes to their starting line-up to face Wales at Principality Stadium on Sunday afternoon in Round Four of the Women’s Six Nations.
All of them come in the pack where Lucia Gai comes in for Michela Merlo who is among the replacements and Valentina Ruzza replaces Elisa Pillotti in the second row.
In the back row Giada Franco slides from No.8 to blindside flanker and Elisa Giordano comes in for Ilaria Arrighetti.
Pillotti and Arrighetti are included on the bench with Eleonora Ricci called up to take her place among the replacements.
The back line remains as it was for the game against France, a match Italy lost 57-0, with Sara Barattin leading the side from scrum-half.
Italy squad
15 Manuela FURLAN (Iniziative Villorba Rugby), 64 caps
14 Sofia STEFAN (Stade Rennais Rugby, FRA), 41 caps
13 Michela SILLARI (Rugby Colorno), 42 caps
12 Beatrice RIGONI (Valsugana Rugby Padova), 30 caps
11 Maria MAGATTI (Rugby Monza 1949), 24 caps
10 Veronica MADIA (Rugby Colorno), 9 caps
9 Sara BARATTIN (Iniziative Villorba Rugby), 80 caps, capitano
8 Elisa GIORDANO (Valsugana Rugby Padova), 28 caps
7 Isabella LOCATELLI (Rugby Monza 1949), 19 caps
6 Giada FRANCO (Rugby Colorno), 2 caps
5 Giordana DUCA (Frascati Rugby Club 2015), 3 caps
4 Valentina RUZZA (Valsugana Rugby Padova), 21 caps
3 Lucia GAI (Stade Rennais Rugby, FRA), 59 caps
2 Melissa BETTONI (Stade Rennais Rugby, FRA), 44 caps
1 Gaia GIACOMOLI (Rugby Colorno), 9 caps
Replacements
16 Silvia TURANI (Rugby Colorno), 3 caps
17 Eleonora RICCI (CRAT A Coruna, SPA), 3 caps
18 Michela MERLO (Rugby Mantova, tutorata Rugby Colorno), 2 caps
19 Elisa PILLOTTI (Chicken CUS Pavia), 11 caps
20 Ilaria ARRIGHETTI (Stade Rennais Rugby, FRA), 33 caps
21 Beatrice VERONESE (Valsugana R. Padova), 3 caps
22 Jessica BUSATO (Inziative Villorba Rugby), 4 caps
23 Aura MUZZO (Iniziative Rugby Villorba), 4 caps
How have they done so far?
Italy
04.02.2018: Italy – England 7-42
11.02.2018: Ireland – Italy 21-8
24.02. 2018: France – Italy 57-0
11.03. 2018, 11.45 Wales – Italy, Principality Stadium, Cardiff
18.03. 2018, 15.00: Italy – Scotland, Stadio Plebiscito, Padova
Wales
02.02.2018: Wales – Scotland, 18-17
10.02.2018: England – Wales, 52-0
25.02. 2018: Ireland – Wales, 35-12
11.03. 2018, 11.45 Wales – Italy, Principality Stadium, Cardiff
16.03. 2018, 18.00: Wales – France, Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay
Standings:
England 15pt; France 15pt; Ireland 9pt; Wales 4pt; Scotland 1pt; Italy 0pt.
Report courtesy of Women’s Six Nations
