Italy field their best for All Blacks

Italy field their best for All Blacks

16 Nov 2012

Italy made eight changes to the starting line-up for their clash against the All Blacks in Rome.

After the Azzurri’s 28-23 win over Tonga, head coach Jacques Brunel has brought in more of his first-choice players for the match against the world champions on Saturday.

Wing Mirco Bergamasco, tighthead prop Martin Castrogiovanni and flank Simone Favaro all come into the run-on side.

South Africa-born lock Quintin Geldenhuys and utility back Tobias Botes feature on the bench.

Italy – 15 Andrea Masi, 14 Giovambattista Venditti, 13 Tommaso Benvenuti, 12 Alberto Sgarbi, 11 Mirco Bergamasco, 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Edoardo Gori, 8 Sergio Parisse (c), 7 Simone Favaro, 6 Alessandro Zanni, 5 Francesco Minto, 4 Antonio Pavanello, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Andrea Lo Cicero
Subs: 16 Davide Giazzon, 17 Alberto De Marchi, 18 Lorenzo Cittadini, 19 Quintin Geldenhuys, 20 Mauro Bergamasco, 21 Robert Barbieri, 22 Tobias Botes, 23 Luke McLean.


33 Comments

  • 1.cane: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 06:33 am

    So, which dragon is the best 8 in world rugby right now.

    This game may help shorten the list of contenders.

  • 2.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 06:45 am

    @cane-1: The simple question here is: Imagine if Parisse played for the AB’s, Boks, Australia, France, England…..?

    (A Read groupie I am, but Sergio has been sublime for years, playing in a team that is flayed more often than not: that’s a special kind of talent that.)

  • 3.Te Rangatira: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 06:48 am

    @cane-1:
    Dale Atkins..

  • 4.Te Rangatira: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 06:53 am

    @Te Rangatira-3:
    the best No8 never to wear a black jersey

  • 5.cane: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 06:55 am

    @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-2:

    We will all of course take this point into consideration Doc.

  • 6.cane: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 06:57 am

    @Te Rangatira-4:

    He was one hard man Rangi.
    Only went one why from A to B.

    The shortest most direct route possible.

    A relative of yours?

  • 7.cane: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 06:59 am

    @cane-6:

    Ooops ……………………”why” should read “way”.

  • 8.Te Rangatira: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 07:00 am

    @cane-6:
    Nope…hes a hard barstaard

  • 9.cane: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 07:06 am

    @Te Rangatira-8:

    Must be 17 years since I last heard of him.
    He must have gone to Japan or something.

    I remember one particular run along the sideline he made for Canterbury, I felt the bones crunch in my living room.

  • 10.cane: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 07:07 am

    @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-2:

    Hey Ruckles…………………………….this is early for you?

  • 11.cane: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 07:08 am

    I’m out for now.

  • 12.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 07:20 am

    @cane-10: Just finished a run :) Training time over ;)

  • 13.BrumbiesBoy: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 07:39 am

    ABs by 30?

  • 14.goodstuff: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 07:56 am

    Shame, this game gonna be a massacre, unless the AB’s have one of their trade mark of days, then it will only be a win by 20 odd points.

  • 15.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 07:59 am

    It’s the NZ dirt-track team.

  • 16.trupisero: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 08:29 am

    @Te Rangatira-4: Nope, that honour surely belongs to Zinzan?

  • 17.Taahirah: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 09:13 am

    @trupisero-16: He said “never”.

    I remember Zinzan wearing a black jersey or 2.

  • 18.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 10:12 am

    @TheTackler-15: nah, far too many caps and first choice players, not to mention the strength of the bench.

  • 19.TheTackler: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 10:17 am

    13 changes from the first XV put up vs Scotland.

  • 20.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 10:21 am

    @TheTackler-19: misleading, as that was a mixed team too.

    NZ seem to be giving everyone a run in the opening two tests, I would expect them then to pick the best performers from those matches to be selected for the Wales and England matches.

  • 21.Liewe Luiperd: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 10:31 am

    O-ho! So Dog Food is Ruck, hey?

    Possibly the most annoying poster on Keo, of all time. Outstrips The Tackler by a cuntry (typo intended) mile.

  • 22.Brads: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 10:57 am

    @Big Hit-20:
    Question that begs to be asked.
    Could England mix up their line up against the same opposition and still run out on the park as overwhelming favourites?

  • 23.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 11:04 am

    @Brads-22: England are rarely overwhelming favourites against Scotland at Murrayfield, but a mixed England team would likely still heavily favoured to beat Italy.

  • 24.greatest13gerber: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 12:42 pm

    Italy scrum to destroy the Black front row

  • 25.greatest13gerber: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 12:43 pm

    Castrogiovanni up there with Mas as my top2 scrummaging TH in world

  • 26.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    16 Nov 2012, 14:07 pm

    @greatest13gerber-25: Dan Cole has to be in there somewhere too.

  • 27.corporal punishment: Reply to this comment
    17 Nov 2012, 06:56 am

    @24gerbil: I doubt it, but even if Italy have the upper hand in the scrum it won’t have any impact on the outcome of the game.

    If a dominant scrum was necessary to achieve a 90% win ratio, the all blacks would put a lot more emphasis on developing the likes of the franks brothers and wyatt Crockett into destructive scrummagers. Instead, the all blacks brains trust realise that this is not a critical part of the game, and prefer to have highly mobile, highly skilled front rowers who can contribute to the all black attacking and defensive American plan.

    Your nik gives you away – you idea of winning rugby is stuck in the 80′s. time for you and your ilk to wake up to what is winning rugby in 2012.

  • 28.corporal punishment: Reply to this comment
    17 Nov 2012, 06:57 am

    Game plan! Fecking iPhone!

  • 29.suffer_guy: Reply to this comment
    17 Nov 2012, 07:04 am

    Italy by 9

  • 30.corporal punishment: Reply to this comment
    17 Nov 2012, 08:42 am

    Suffer, you are as bad a troll as you are a rugby Kenner…..

  • 31.Hurricane: Reply to this comment
    17 Nov 2012, 08:57 am

    @corporal punishment-30:
    He’s not a troll, just plain stupid.

  • 32.corporal punishment: Reply to this comment
    17 Nov 2012, 09:05 am

    I almost feel sorry for him in that case…. How can he tie his own shoelaces???

  • 33.BrumbiesBoy: Reply to this comment
    19 Nov 2012, 07:57 am

    13.BrumbiesBoy said:
    16 Nov 2012, 07:39 am
    ABs by 30?

    Hah! Only two out…should’ve had more faith in Dan!!!

    :-)

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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