Italy v England preview


Manu Tuilagi will make his long awaited return on Saturday after being named on the bench to face Italy in Rome.
The Leicester centre is the only change to the matchday 23 as Stuart Lancaster kept faith in the starting XV that dismantled Wales at Twickenham last Sunday.
England must win in Rome to have a chance of winning the Six Nations for the first time since 2011 but will have to hope can beat Ireland later in Paris.
Failing that Lancaster’s men will need to outscore the Azzurri by over 70 points to overhaul Ireland’s superior points difference.
“It’s great to be able to name an unchanged XV and we have been able to achieve consistency of selection,” said head coach Stuart Lancaster.
“The Wales result was very significant for us but we need to finish the tournament well in Rome,” added Lancaster.
“The key this week has been to manage the players’ recovery and get them in the best shape for what will be a tough match against Italy.”
Meanwhile, Martin Castrogiovanni has failed to regain full fitness and will sit the game out but influential captain Sergio Parisse returns at No.8 for Italy
The former Leicester prop, who limped off the field in Dublin last week, is replaced by Lorenzo Cittadini at tighthead with Matias Aguero taking over from Alberto de Marchi at loosehead.
Parisse takes the place of Paul Derbyshire in the team as Robert Barbieri moves to openside.
England: Mike Brown (); Jack Nowell (Exeter), Luther Burrell (Northampton), Billy Twelvetrees (), Jonny May (Gloucester); Owen (Saracens), (Harlequins); Mako Vunipola (Saracens), (Northampton), David Wilson (Bath); Joe Launchbury (London Wasps), Courtney Lawes (Northampton);Tom Wood (Northampton), (Harlequins, Capt.), Ben Morgan (Gloucester).
Replacements: Tom Youngs (Leicester), Matt Mullan (London Wasps), Henry Thomas (), David Attwood (Bath), Tom Johnson (Exeter), Lee Dickson (Northampton), (Bath), Manusamoa Tuilagi (Leicester).
Italy: Luke McLean; Angelo Esposito, Michele Campagnaro, Gonzalo Garcia, Leonardo Sarto; Luciano Orquera, Tito Tebaldi; Matias Aguero, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Lorenzo Cittadini; Quintin Geldenhuys, Marco Bortolami; Joshua Furno, Robert Barbieri, Sergio Parisse (Capt.)
Replacements: Davide Giazzon, Michele Rizzo, Alberto de Marchi, George Fabio Biagi, Paul Derbyshire, Edoardo Gori, Tommaso Allan, Andrea Masi.

Leave a Comment