Rugby, Azzurri seek confirmation in Ireland
Italia is already in Dublin, where, in the context of the Six Nations, it has always lost. On Saturday it will have, on paper, a few more chances than usual, but after the victory over Scotland (with a super-conquering performance) it will certainly not be able to take advantage of the surprise factor.
The Azzurri's line-up has just been announced, which follows the one from the Olimpico as closely as possible. In the starting XV, the only change concerns Nacho Brex, who is struggling with a family problem. His place in the pair of centres, alongside Menoncello, will be taken by Marin, who takes the No. 12 jersey and leaves the No. 15: Lorenzo Pani will play fullback.
The changes in the home team, which was beaten 14-36 in Paris last week, were much more consistent ("but a France at that level, with that dynamism," points out Azzurri coach Gonzalo Quesada, "would have been difficult for any team in the world to face"). There were seven changes among the Greens, leaving only the front line and the pair of centres completely unchanged. A very valuable winger like Lowe returns, while surprisingly scrum-half Gibson-Park goes on the bench. "In fact I wouldn't have thought so,' Quesada remarks, 'because he is almost always present from the first minute and he is the man who makes the team's offensive play turn. But on the other hand it seems to me that the idea is to make a mix of in-form youngsters and experienced men, and then in the last half an hour resort to a sum of quality and high-level skills. Those that have allowed Ireland to win the tournament five times in the last 12 editions.
Ours, of the bench, will be formed by an extra man of the scrum, Odiase, and consequently the three-quarter-backs will be two: scrum-half Alessandro Garbisi and centre-winger Odogwu, who is one of only three players (out of 23) not to have an Italian rugby background. "We are keeping six scrum-halves among the replacements," said the coach, "because we expect a very tough battle up front. Just as we expect that Ireland, the team that kicks the most and has the most skill in the aerial game, will test us in this aspect.
Precaution led to Capuozzo and Varney still being left out, who will get their chances later on. In the meantime, the Azzurri team is called upon to prove, regardless of the final result, that their standard has indeed risen, in terms of technique and lucidity and strategy on the pitch.
