Monty Ioane, Stephen Varney and Ross Vintcent among the players brought into starting line-up

Gonzalo Quesada has made sweeping changes to his Italy Six Nations 2025 as they look to bounce back from a humbling 24-73 defeat to France.

In the backs, Ange Capuozzo shifts across the back line to full-back, with Monty Ioane (injured for the France match) returning on the wing. Tomasso Allan drops to the bench to make way.

Matt Gallagher starts in place of Simone Gesi on the other wing, while Stephen Varney (making his first appearance in this year’s championship) gets the nod over Martin Page-Relo at scrum-half. Paolo Garbisi continues at fly-half, with Juan Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello resuming their formidable partnership in the centres.

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Danilo Fischetti keeps his place at loosehead, but there’s a shuffle elsewhere in the front row where Giacomo Nicotera and Marco Riccioni come in for Gianmarco Lucchesi and Simone Ferrari, both of whom are replacements. Quesada has named an unchanged second row of Niccolò Cannone and Federico Ruzza, while Sebastian Negri and captain Michele Lamaro continue as flankers. Ross Vintcent replaces Lorenzo Cannone at number 8.

As he has throughout the tournament, Quesada has opted for a 6-2 split on the bench. Gianmarco Lucchesi, Mirco Spagnolo, Simone Ferrari, Riccardo Favretto, Manuel Zuliani, Lorenzo Cannone, Martin Page-Relo and Tomasso Allan will all be waiting to join the action at some point during the 80 minutes.

England v Italy kicks off at 3.00pm GMT on Sunday 9 March.


Italy Six Nations team v England

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

Italy Six Nations team v France

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

Italy Six Nations team v Wales

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

Italy Six Nations team v Scotland

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


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


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


Italy Six Nations squad 2024

Forwards
Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby)
Danilo FISCHETTI (Zebre Parma)
Matteo NOCERA (Zebre Parma)
Luca RIZZOLI (Zebre Parma)
Mirco SPAGNOLO (Benetton Rugby)
Giosuè ZILOCCHI (Benetton Rugby)
Gianmarco LUCCHESI (Benetton Rugby)
Marco MANFREDI (Zebre Parma)
Giacomo NICOTERA (Benetton Rugby)
Matteo CANALI (Zebre Parma)
Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby)
Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby)
Andrea ZAMBONIN (Zebre Parma)
Riccardo FAVRETTO (Benetton Rugby)
Alessandro IZEKOR (Benetton Rugby)
Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugbys)
Ross VINTCENT (Exeter Chiefs)
Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby)
Backs
Alessandro GARBISI (Benetton Rugby)
Martin PAGE-RELO (Lyon)
Stephen VARNEY (Gloucester)
Paolo GARBISI (Montpellier)
Leonardo MARIN (Benetton Rugby)
Juan Ignacio BREX (Benetton Rugby)
Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby)
Federico MORI (Bayonne)
Marco ZANON (Benetton Rugby)
Ange CAPUOZZO (Stade Toulousain,
Monty IOANE (Lyon)
Simone GESI (Zebre Parma)
Louis LYNAGH (Harlequins)
Francois MEY (Clermont)

Lorenzo PANI (Zebre Parma)


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