The Italy Six Nations 2026 squad stand on the edge of history.

If they can beat Wales under the Principality Stadium roof on Super Saturday they’ll have won three matches in a single championship for the very first time – in other words, their best performance since they joined the tournament in 2000.

Head coach Gonzalo Quesada has made three changes to the Azzurri’s starting line-up, two of them enforced by injuries to tighthead Simone Ferrari and second row Andrea Zambonin. Muhamed Hasa and Federico Ruzza are promoted from the bench to take their places.

Elsewhere, Alessandro Fusco returns at scrum-half in place of Alessandro Garbisi. There’s also a spot among the replacements for Welsh-born scrum-half Stephen Varney, selected in the Italian 23 for the first time this championship.

The pack (which has looked so impressive this year) features a front row of Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera and Hasa. Niccolò Cannone packs down alongside Ruzza at lock, while the familiar back row comprises Manuel Zuliani, Lorenzo Cannone and captain Michele Lamaro.

In the backs, Fusco starts alongside fly-half Paolo Garbisi, ahead of Italy’s formidable centre partnership, Tommaso Menoncello and Juan Ignacio Brex. Monty Ioane and Louis Lynagh continue on the wings, with Lorenzo Pani at full-back.

• Read more: How to watch the Six Nations 2026 from anywhere

Quesada sticks with a 5-3 split on the bench. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Mirco Spagnolo, Giosuè Zilocchi, Riccardo Favretto and David Odiase provide forward cover, with Varney, Leonardo Marin and Tommaso Allan as the replacement backs.

Wales v Italy kicks off at 4.40pm GMT on Saturday 14 March, with free live coverage on BBC One, S4C and BBC iPlayer in the UK, and RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player in Ireland.

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Italy Six Nations team v Wales – round 5

15. Lorenzo Pani
14. Louis Lynagh
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Alessandro Fusco

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Muhamed Hasa
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Michele Lamaro (captain)
7. Manuel Zuliani
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Giosuè Zilocchi
19. Riccardo Favretto
20. David Odiase
21. Stephen Varney
22. Leonardo Marin
23. Tommaso Allan

Italy Six Nations team v England – round 4

15. Lorenzo Pani
14. Louis Lynagh
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Alessandro Garbisi

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Andrea Zambonin
6. Michele Lamaro (captain)
7. Manuel Zuliani
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Muhamed Hasa
19. Federico Ruzza
20. Riccardo Favretto
21. Alessandro Fusco
22. Leonardo Marin
23. Tommaso Allan

Italy Six Nations team v France – round 3

15. Ange Capuozzo
14. Louis Lynagh
13. Tommaso Menoncello
12. Leonardo Marin
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Alessandro Fusco

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Andrea Zambonin
6. Michele Lamaro (captain)
7. Manuel Zuliani
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Pablo Dimcheff
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Giosuè Zilocchi
19. Federico Ruzza
20. Riccardo Favretto
21. David Odiase
22. Alessandro Garbisi
23. Paolo Odogwu

Italy Six Nations team v Ireland – round 2

15. Lorenzo Pani
14. Louis Lynagh
13. Tommaso Menoncello
12. Leonardo Marin
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Alessandro Fusco

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Andrea Zambonin
6. Michele Lamaro (captain)
7. Manuel Zuliani
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Muhamed Hasa
19. Federico Ruzza
20. Riccardo Favretto
21. David Odiase
22. Alessandro Garbisi
23. Paolo Odogwu

Italy Six Nations team v Scotland – round 1

15. Leonardo Marin
14. Louis Lynagh
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Alessandro Fusco

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Andrea Zambonin
6. Michele Lamaro (captain)
7. Manuel Zuliani
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Muhamed Hasa
19. Federico Ruzza
20. Riccardo Favretto
21. Alessandro Garbisi
22. Giacomo Da Re
23. Lorenzo Pani

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Italy Six Nations squad: Quesada’s 33-man squad

Forwards (18): Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Zebre Parma), Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton Rugby), Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby), Pablo Dimcheff (Colomiers Rugby), Riccardo Favretto (Benetton Rugby), Simone Ferrari (Benetton Rugby), Danilo Fischetti (Northampton Saints), Muhamed Hasa (Zebre Parma), Alessandro Izekor (Benetton Rugby), Michele Lamaro (Benetton Rugby), Samuele Locatelli (Zebre Parma), Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Français), David Odiase (Zebre Parma), Marco Riccioni (Saracens), Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby), Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton Rugby), Andrea Zambonin (Exeter Chiefs), Manuel Zuliani (Benetton Rugby)

Backs (15): Juan Ignacio Brex (Benetton Rugby), Giacomo Da Re (Zebre Parma), Alessandro Fusco (Zebre Parma), Matt Gallagher (Benetton Rugby), Paolo Garbisi (Toulon), Monty Ioane (Lyon), Louis Lynagh (Benetton Rugby), Leonardo Marin (Benetton Rugby), Damiano Mazza (Zebre Parma), Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton Rugby), Paolo Odogwu (Benetton Rugby), Martin Page-Relo (Lyon), Lorenzo Pani (Zebre Parma), Edoardo Todaro (Northampton Saints), Stephen Varney (Exeter Chiefs)

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Italy Six Nations squad: 2026 fixtures at a glance

• Sat 6 February, Italy v Scotland (kick-off 2.10pm GMT, Stadio Olimpico, Rome) Live on the BBC in the UK
• Sat 14 February, Ireland v Italy (kick-off 2.10pm GMT, Aviva Stadium, Dublin) Live on ITV in the UK
• Sun 22 February, France v Italy (kick-off 3.10pm GMT, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille) Live on ITV in the UK
• Sat 7 March, Italy v England (kick-off 4.40pm GMT, Stadio Olimpico, Rome) Live on ITV in the UK
• Sat 14 March, Wales v Italy (kick-off 4.40pm GMT, Principality Stadium, Cardiff) Live on the BBC in the UK

• Read more: Men’s Six Nations fixtures 2026

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Italy Six Nations squad: Line-ups from every match in 2025

Round 1: v Scotland (Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh)

Result: Scotland 31-19 Italy

Starting XV:
15. Tommaso Allan
14. Ange Capuozzo
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Martin Page-Relo

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Dino Lamb
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Michele Lamaro (captain)
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Gianmarco Lucchesi
17. Luca Rizzoli
18. Marco Riccioni
19. Niccolò Cannone
20. Manuel Zuliani
21. Ross Vintcent
22. Alessandro Garbisi
23. Simone Gesi

Round 2: v Wales (Stadio Olimpico, Rome)

Result: Italy 22-15 Wales

Starting XV:
15. Tommaso Allan
14. Ange Capuozzo
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Martin Page-Relo

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Michele Lamaro (captain)
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Gianmarco Lucchesi
17. Luca Rizzoli
18. Marco Riccioni
19. Dino Lamb
20. Manuel Zuliani
21. Ross Vintcent
22. Alessandro Garbisi
23. Jacopo Trulla

Round 3: v France (Stadio Olimpico, Rome)

Result: Italy 24-73 France

Starting XV:
15. Tommaso Allan
14. Ange Capuozzo
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Simone Gesi
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Martin Page-Relo

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Gianmarco Lucchesi
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Michele Lamaro (captain)
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Giacomo Nicotera
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Giosuè Zilocchi
19. Riccardo Favretto
20. Manuel Zuliani
21. Ross Vintcent
22. Alessandro Garbisi
23. Jacopo Trulla

Round 4: v England (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)

Result: England 47-24 Italy

Starting XV:
15. Ange Capuozzo
14. Monty Ioane
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Matt Gallagher
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Stephen Varney

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Marco Riccioni
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Michele Lamaro (captain)
8. Ross Vintcent

Replacements:
16.  Gianmarco Lucchesi
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Simone Ferrari
19. Riccardo Favretto
20. Manuel Zuliani
21. Lorenzo Cannone
22. Martin Page-Relo
23. Tomasso Allan

Round 5: v Ireland (Stadio Olimpico, Rome)

Result: Italy 17-22 Ireland

Starting XV:
15. Tomasso Allan
14. Ange Capuozzo
13. Juan Ignacio Brex (captain)
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Martin Page-Relo

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Gianmarco Lucchesi
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Dino Lamb
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Manuel Zuliani
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Giacomo Nicotera
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Giosuè Zilocchi
19. Niccolò Cannone
20. Michele Lamaro
21. Ross Vintcent
22. Stephen Varney
23. Leonardo Marin

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