Italy make five changes for Argentina Test

Italy coach Kieran Crowley on Thursday made five changes for Saturday’s Test match against Argentina after the Azzurri were beaten by New Zealand in his first match in charge last weekend.

Edoardo Padovani will start on the right wing in place of Federico Mori while Luca Morisi returns to the line-up at inside centre after a year’s absence — Marco Zanon has been dropped.

Crowley has made three changes to his forward line.

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Ivan Nemer makes his first start at loosehead prop, Niccolo Cannone comes in at lock and Giovanni Licata at number eight, his first cap since February last year.

Italy, who performed well against the All Blacks in Rome before collapsing in the final period and losing 47-9, have not beaten the Pumas since 2008.

Crowley has stuck with the Gloucester scrum-half Stephen Varney and Montpellier’s Paolo Garbisi at fly-half for the match in Treviso. 

Italy (15-1):

Matteo Minozzi; Edoardo Padovani, Juan Ignacio Brex, Luca Morisi, Montanna Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Giovanni Licata, Michele Lamaro (capt), Sebastian Negri; David Sisi, Niccolo Canone; Marco Riccioni, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Ivan Nemer

Replacements

Luca Bigi, Danilo Fischetti, Pietro Ceccarelli, Marco Fuser, Federico Ruzza, Giovanni Pettinelli, Alessandro Fusco, Federico Mori

Coach: Kieran Crowley (NZL)