Head coach Gonzalo Quesada has named a strong Italy Six Nations 2025 team for the Azzurri’s first match of the tournament. Having beaten Scotland in Rome last year to win the Cuttitta Cup (the Six Nations trophy up for grabs on Saturday), they’ll be confident they can get off to a winning start in Edinburgh as they aim to emulate (or better) their best ever championship performance.

Key to Quesada’s chances will be the Benetton centre partnership of Juan Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello, last year’s player of the tournament. They also have a dangerous back line, featuring Tommaso Allan, Monty Ioane and Ange Capuozzo. Martin Page-Relo and Paolo Garbisi are the half-backs selected to pull the strings.

In the forwards, Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera and Simone Ferrari form the front row, ahead of locks Dino Lamb and Federico Ruzza. Sebastian Negri and captain Michele Lamaro are the flankers, with Lorenzo Cannone (who features in the second season of Netflix documentary Full Contact) at number 8.

Quesada has selected a 6-2 split on the bench. The replacements are Gianmarco Lucchesi, Luca Rizzoli, Marco Riccioni, Niccolò Cannone, Manuel Zuliani, Ross Vintcent, Alessandro Garbisi and Simone Gesi. If Zebre winger Gesi takes to the field it will be his first cap since making his debut in the equivalent fixture two years ago.

Scotland v Italy kicks off at 2.15pm on Saturday 1 February.

Read more: How to watch the Six Nations 2025 from anywhere

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Italy Six Nations team v Sc0tland

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

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Italy 2025 Six Nations squad

Forwards

Simone Ferrari
Riccardo Faveretto
Danilo Fischetti
Federico Ruzza
Marco Riccioni
Lorenzo Cannone
Luca Rizzoli
Alessandro Izekor
Giosue Zilocchi
Michele Lamaro
Gianmarco Lucchesi
Sebastian Negri
Gianmarco Nicotera
Ross Vintcent
Niccolo Cannone
Manuel Zuliani
Dino Lamb

Backs

Alessandro Garbisi
Juan Ignacio Brex
Martin Page-Relo
Tommaso Menoncello
Stephen Varney
Ange Capuozzo
Tommaso Allen
Matt Gallagher
Paolo Garbisi
Simone Gesi
Leonardo Marin
Monty Ioane
Jacopo Trulla

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Italy Six Nations squad: Line-ups from every match in 2024

Round 1: v England (Stadio Olimpico)

Starting XV: Tommaso Allan, Lorenzo Pani, Juan Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Monty Ioane, Paolo Garbisi, Alessandro Garbisi; Danilo Fischetti, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Pietro Ceccarelli, Niccolo Cannone, Federico Ruzza, Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro (captain), Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements: Giacomo Nicotera, Mirco Spagnolo, Giosue Zilocchi, Andrea Zambonin, Edoardo Iachizzi, Manuel Zuliani, Stephen Varney, Federico Mori

Result: Italy 24-27 England

Round 2: v Ireland (Aviva Stadium)

Starting XV: Ange Capuozzo; Lorenzo Pani, Juan Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Montanna Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Danilo Fischetti, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Pietro Ceccarelli, Niccolo Cannone, Federico Ruzza, Alessandro Izekor, Manuel Zulani, Michele Lamaro

Replacements: Giacomo Nicotera, Mirco Spagnolo, Giosue Zilocchi, Andrea Zambonin, Ross Vintcent, Martin Page-Relo, Tommaso Allan, Federico Mori

Result: Ireland 36-0 Italy

Round 3: v France (Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille)

Starting XV: Ange Capuozzo; Tommaso Menoncello, Juan Ignacio Brex, Federico Mori, Montanna Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Martin Page-Relo; Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Giosue Zilocchi, Niccolo Cannone, Federico Ruzza, Riccardo Favretto, Michele Lamaro, Ross Vintcent

Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Mirco Spagnolo, Simone Ferrari, Matteo Canali, Andrea Zambonin, Manuel Zuliani, Stephen Varney, Leonardo Marin

Result: France 13-13 Italy

Round 4: v Scotland (Stadio Olimpico)

Starting XV: Ange Capuozzo; Louis Lynagh, Juan Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Montanna Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Martin Page-Relo; Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Simone Ferrari, Niccolo Cannone, Federico Ruzza, Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro, Ross Vintcent

Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Mirco Spagnolo, Giosue Zilocchi, Andrea Zambonin, Lorenzo Cannone, Stephen Varney, Leonardo Marin, Federico Mori

Result: Italy 31-29 Scotland

Round 5: v Wales (Principality Stadium)

Starting XV: Lorenzo Pani; Louis Lynagh, Juan Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Montanna Ioane, Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Simone Ferrari, Niccolo Cannone, Federico Ruzza, Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro, Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Mirco Spagnolo, Giosue Zilocchi, Andrea Zambonin, Ross Vintcent, Manuel Zuliani, Martin Page-Relo, Leonardo Marin

Result: Wales 21-24 Italy

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Italy Six Nations squad 2024

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