Italy team to face Ireland in Dublin

Franco Smith during the Wales v Italy 2020 Six Nations match Franco Smith has chosen a new half-back partnership for Italy (Adam Davy/PA)

Franco Smith has named his Italy team to face Ireland in Saturday's rescheduled Six Nations match in Dublin.

The uncapped Paolo Garbisi will start at fly-half less than a month after making his Pro14 debut for Benetton.

Garbisi will be joined by Zebre scrum-half Marcello Violi in a new half-back partnership for Italy.



Italy team to play Ireland

Forwards: 1 Danilo Fischetti (Zebre Rugby Club), 2 Luca Bigi (CAPTAIN, Zebre Rugby Club), 3 Giosuè Zilocchi (Zebre Rugby Club), 4 Marco Lazzaroni (Benetton Rugby), 5 Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby), 6 Sebastian Negri (Benetton Rugby), 7 Braam Steyn (Benetton Rugby), 8 Jake Polledri (Gloucester Rugby)

Backs: 9 Marcello Violi (Zebre Rugby Club), 10 Paolo Garbisi (Benetton Rugby)*, 11 Mattia Bellini (Zebre Rugby Club), 12 Carlo Canna (Zebre Rugby Club), 13 Luca Morisi (Benetton Rugby), 14 Edoardo Padovani (Benetton Rugby), 15 Jayden Hayward (Benetton Rugby)

Replacements: 16 Gianmarco Lucchesi (Benetton Rugby)*, 17 Simone Ferrari (Benetton Rugby), 18 Pietro Ceccarelli (Brive), 19 David Sisi (Zebre Rugby Club), 20 Johan Meyer (Zebre Rugby Club), 21 Maxime Mbanda’ (Zebre Rugby Club), 22 Callub Braley (Benetton Rugby Club), 23 Federico Mori (Kawasaki Robot Calvisano)*

*Denotes uncapped player

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