Top of the table England host fifth placed Italy at Twickenham in the RBS Six Nations Championship on Sunday. This is part of the fifth round of fixtures of this year’s Championship. The match is scheduled to kick off at 17.00 South African Time.
The big news for Italy will no doubt be the return of their captain and number eight Sergio Parisse. Parisse had been serving a ban picked up in domestic French rugby but is now available for this game as his ban was reduced from thirty days to twenty days. Following an appeal Parisse’s initial charge was reduced from ‘insulting a referee’ to ‘failing in his captain’s duties’. Parisse has also been given certain community service to perform in addition to the twenty day ban. The timing of the game fits Parisse well as his ban is due to end on Saturday.
England have made a number of changes to their team that last started for them, in their victorious match against France two weeks. Prop Mako Vunipola has been handed his first start and replaces Joe Marler. Danny Care, scrumhalf, and Toby Flood, flyhalf come in to the starting line up at the expense of Ben Youngs and Owen Farrell respectively. Hooker Tom Youngs starts instead of Dylan Hartleywhile James Haskell replaces Courtney Lawes at blindside flank.
Tom Croft has recovered from a neck injury and is on the bench, for his first duty in the England jumper in twelve months. Flyhalf Freddie Burns also returns to the bench.
Teams
England: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Manu Tuilagi, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Mike Brown,10 Toby Flood, 9 Danny Care, 8 Tom Wood, 7 Chris Robshaw (captain), 6 James Haskell, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Joe Launchbury, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Tom Youngs, 1 Mako Vunipola.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Hartley, 17 David Wilson, 18 Joe Marler, 19 Courney Lawes, 20 Tom Croft, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 Freddie Burns, 23 Billy Twelvetrees.
Italy: 15 Andrea Masi, 14 Giovanbattista Venditti, 13 Gonzalo Canale, 12 Gonzalo Garcia, 11 Luke McLean, 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Edoardo Gori, 8 Sergio Parisse (captain), 7 Robert Barbieri, 6 Alessandro Zanni, 5 Joshua Furno, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Alberto de Marchi.
Replacements: 16 Davide Giazzon, 17 Andrea Lo Cicero, 18 Lorenzo Cittadini, 19 Antonio Pavanello, 20 Francesco Minto, 21 Simone Favaro, 22 Tobias Botes, 23 Tommaso Benvenuti.o be announced