(Fixes typo in headline, no change to story)
ROME (Reuters) – Italy have picked the uncapped duo of Lorenzo Pani and Martin Page-Relo to make their test debuts when they take on Scotland in a Rugby World Cup warm-up match at Murrayfield on Saturday.
Zebre’s Pani will play at fullback while French-born Page-Relo will feature at scrumhalf.
Page-Relo qualifies to play for Italy through his maternal grandparents and had previously been called up during the Six Nations championship earlier this year.
Winger Montanna Ioane missed the Six Nations but returns to an experimental lineup on Saturday, with Italy missing many of their regulars.
Ioane was allowed to stay and settle in at the Melbourne Rebels for the Super Rugby campaign this year.
“It’s been great to have him back and we hope he’ll continue the form he showed for us last November,” coach Kieran Crowley told a press conference on Thursday.
Federico Ruzza has been named captain for the first time.
“He is very diligent in all that he does and demands high standards. He’s had plenty of leadership experience as vice-captain before,” Crowley added.
“The match against Scotland represents an important first step towards the Rugby World Cup.
“Many players will have the opportunity to play in a high-level test showing their skills to enter the squad for the World Cup. It will also be a time to evaluate the first part of preparation for the next matches,” added the coach.
Italy will follow the trip to Edinburgh with a game against Ireland in Dublin on Aug. 5 and then home tests versus Romania and Japan as they finalise their preparations
At the World Cup in France in September, Italy start against Namibia and then meet Uruguay, New Zealand and the host nation.
Team: 15-Lorenzo Pani, 14-Pierre Bruno, 13-Tommaso Menoncello, 12-Luca Morisi, 11-Montanna Ioane, 10-Tommaso Allan, 9-Martin Page-Relo, 8-Toa Halafihi, 7-Manuel Zuliani, 6-Federico Ruzza (capt.), 5-Andrea Zambonin, 4-David Sisi, 3-Pietro Ceccarelli, 2-Epalahame Faiva, 1-Federico Zani
Replacements: 16-Marco Manfredi, 17-Danilo Fischetti, 18-Filippo Alongi, 19- Edoardo Iachizzi, 20-Lorenzo Cannone, 21-Alessandro Garbisi, 22-Giacomo Da Re, 23-Federico Mori.
(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ken Ferris)
