THE ITALY TEAM for Saturday’s Six Nations game against Ireland in Rome [KO 2.15pm] has been unveiled.

Head coach Franco Smith has selected the same XV that started in their 41-18 loss to England at Twickenham on 13 February.

However, there are four changes to the bench, with Cherif Traore, Maxime Mbanda, Callum Braley and Mattia Bellini added to the replacements instead of Danilo Fischetti, Federico Ruzza, Guglielmo Palazzani and Tomasso Allan.

Hooker Luca Bigi will captain the Azzurri, who suffered a 50-17 defeat in their last meeting with Ireland, which took place in Dublin back in October.

Italy:

15. Jacopo Trulla
14. Luca Sperandio
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Carlo Canna
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Stephen Varney

1. Andrea Lovotti
2. Luca Bigi (captain)
3. Marco Riccioni
4. Marco Lazzaroni
5. David Sisi
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Johan Meyer
8. Michele Lamaro

Replacements:

16. Gianmarco Lucchesi
17. Cherif Traore
18. Giosue Zilocchi
19. Niccolo Cannone
20. Maxime Mbanda
21. Callum Braley
22. Federico Mori
23. Mattia Bellini