The Azzurri last won a match in the Six Nations in 2015
Italy Six Nations Squad 2021
Franco Smith has named an unchanged starting team to face Ireland in the Six Nations on Saturday after the Azzurri lost to England two weeks ago.
The half-back partnership of Paolo Garbisi and Stephen Varney remains, while wing and try-scorer against England Montanna Ioane also starts.
Maxime Mbanda returns to the match-day 23 while Cherif Traore, Callum Braley and Mattia Bellini all enter the squad for the first time this tournament and start on the bench.
Il XV scelto da Franco #Smith per scendere in campo sabato allo Stadio Olimpico con l'Irlanda ➡ https://t.co/9UdNCgLNOa
🏉 Kick off 15.15
📺 Diretta @dmaxitalia
#ITAvIRE #insieme #rugbypassioneitaliana pic.twitter.com/JLitTCqq26— Italrugby (@Federugby) February 25, 2021
Italy Team to play Ireland – Saturday 27 February
Jacopo Trulla; Luca Sperandio, Juan Ignacio Brex, Carlo Canna, Montanna Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Andrea Lovotti, Luca Bigi, Marco Riccioni, Marco Lazzaroni, David Sisi, Sebastian Negri Johan Meyer, Michele Lamaro.
Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Cherif Traore, Giosuè Zilocchi, Niccolò Cannone, Maxime Mbanda, Callum Braley, Federico Mori, Mattia Bellini.
Italy Team to play England – Saturday 13 February
Jacopo Trulla; Luca Sperandio, Juan Ignacio Brex, Carlo Canna, Montanna Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Andrea Lovotti, Luca Bigi, Marco Riccioni, Marco Lazzaroni, David Sisi, Sebastian Negri, Johan Meyer, Michele Lamaro.
Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Danilo Fischetti, Giosuè Zilocchi, Niccolò Cannone, Federico Ruzza, Guglielmo Palazzani, Tommaso Allan, Federico Mori.
Italy Team to play France – Saturday 6 February
Jacopo Trulla; Luca Sperandio, Marco Zanon, Juan Ignacio Brex, Montanna Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Daniele Rimpelli, Luca Bigi, Marco Riccioni, Marco Lazzaroni, David Sisi, Sebastian Negri, Johan Meyer, Michele Lamaro.
Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Danilo Fischetti, Giosuè Zilocchi, Niccolò Cannone, Federico Ruzza, Maxime Mbanda, Guglielmo Palazzani, Carlo Canna.
Italy Six Nations Squad 2021
Forwards
Luca Bigi (Zebre)
Niccolò Cannone (Benetton)
Pietro Ceccarelli (Brive)
Riccardo Favretto (Mogliano)
Danilo Fischetti (Zebre)
Michele Lamaro (Benetton)
Marco Lazzaroni (Benetton)
Gianmarco Lucchesi (Benetton)
Marco Manfredi (Zebre)
Maxime Mbanda (Zebre)
Johan Meyer (Zebre)
Sebastian Negri (Benetton)
Marco Riccioni (Benetton)
Daniele Rimpelli (Zebre)
Federico Ruzza (Benetton)
David Sisi (Zebre)
Cristian Stoian (Fiamme Oro)
Cherif Traore (Benetton)
Giosuè Zilocchi (Zebre)
Backs
Tommaso Allan (Benetton)
Mattia Bellini (Zebre)
Callum Braley (Benetton)
Juan Ignacio Brex (Benetton)
Carlo Canna (Zebre)
Paolo Garbisi (Benetton)
Monty Ioane (Benetton)
Federico Mori (Kawasaki Robot Calvisano)
Guglielmo Palazzani (Zebre)
Luca Sperandio (Benetton)
Jacopo Trulla (Kawasaki Robot Calvisano)
Stephen Varney (Gloucester)
Marco Zanon (Benetton)
Additional invited players
Michelangelo Biondelli (Zebre)
Tommaso Boni (Zebre)
Renato Giammarioli (Zebre)
Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton)
Marcello Violi (Zebre)
Italy Six Nations Fixtures 2021
(All kick-off times are GMT)
Round 1
Sat 6 February, Italy 10-50 France Dupont dazzles as France crush Italy in Six Nations opener
Round 2
Sat 13 February, England 41-18 Italy Jonny May scores wonder try against Italy
Round 3
Sat 27 February, Italy v Ireland, Stadio Olimpico, 2:15pm
Round 4
Sat 13 March, Italy v Wales, Stadio Olimpico, 2:15pm
Round 5
Sat 20 March, Scotland v Italy, BT Murrayfield, 2:15pm
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