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* Italy coach Mallett makes five changes for Springboks
* Flanker Zanni expects tougher test than against All Blacks
(adds quotes)
ROME, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Italy coach Nick Mallett has made
five changes to the starting lineup that caused New Zealand
problems last weekend for Saturday's test against world
champions South Africa in Udine (1400 GMT).
Former Springboks coach Mallett has revamped his backs with
three switches.
Matteo Pratichetti replaces winger Kaine Robertson, Alberto
Sgarbi takes Gonzalo Canale's place at outside centre after
picking up his previous four caps at winger and Simon Picone
comes in at scrum half for Tito Tebaldi to form a half-back
partnership with rugby league-convert Craig Gower.
Mallett has also tinkered with the pack that gave the All
Blacks forwards a torrid time in the scrum in Saturday's brave
20-6 defeat at a packed San Siro stadium in Milan.
Flanker Simone Favaro, who was impressive in Italy's June
tour of Australia and New Zealand, will take Mauro Bergamasco's
place in the back row.
The experienced Fabio Ongaro gets the nod ahead of Leonardo
Ghiraldini at hooker.
Quintin Geldenhuys and Carlo Antonio Del Fava, both of whom
were born in South Africa, keep their places in the second row.
All of the replaced players drop down to the bench, except
for Robertson.
By ringing the changes Mallett may be seeking to keep some
of his forces fresh for the Azzurri's clash with Samoa a week
later.
The test in the central town of Ascoli Piceno is the only
one in a demanding series that his side have a realistic chance
of winning.
Italy flanker Alessandro Zanni is expecting South Africa to
be a bigger challenge than the All Blacks were, in part because
they lost 20-13 to France last week.
"It will be harder than against New Zealand for a number of
reasons," he told the Italian rugby federation's website
(www.federugby.it).
"Let's not forget that the Springboks are number one and
they are coming from a defeat, so they will try to make up for
it by scoring as many points as possible to regain the
confidence they have lost recently.
"We have to repeat the San Siro performance and try to
improve on it."
Team: 15-Luke McLean, 14-Matteo Pratichetti, 13-Alberto
Sgarbi, 12-Gonzalo Garcia, 11-Mirco Bergamasco, 10-Craig Gower,
9-Simon Picone; 8-Sergio Parisse (captain), 7-Alessandro Zanni,
6-Simone Favaro, 5-Quintin Geldenhuys, 4-Carlo Antonio Del Fava,
3-Martin Castrogiovanni, 2-Fabio Ongaro, 1-Salvatore Perugini.
Replacements: 16-Leonardo Ghiraldini, 17-Ignacio Rouyet,
18-Antonio Pavanello, 19-Josh Sole, 20-Mauro Bergamasco, 21-Tito
Tebaldi, 22-Gonzalo Canale.
(Reporting by Paul Virgo, editing by Justin Palmer
To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com) Updated on Thursday, Nov 19, 2009 11:16 am, EST Email to a Friend | View Popular
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