South Africa v Italy, East London, June 26
Mallett makes sweeping changes
Scrum.com
June 24, 2010
Italy skipper Sergio Parisse strides clear to score, South Africa v Italy, Puma Stadium, Witbank, South Africa, June 19, 2010
Sergio Parisse again leads Italy © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Nick Mallett | Sergio Parisse
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Italy coach Nick Mallett has made the bold move of changing nine of his starting line-up to face South Africa in the second Test in East London on Saturday.

Captain Sergio Parisse, a try-scorer in last weekend's 29-13 loss in Witbank, leads the survivors, with fullback Luke McLean, wing Mirco Bergamasco, prop Salvatore Perugini, centre Andrea Masi and fly-half Craig Gower all surviving the sweeping alterations.

Joining the skipper in the back-row are flankers Manoa Vosawai and Paul Derbyshire while experienced duo Marco Bortolami and Carlo del Fava form a new-look second row. Six Nations skipper Leonardo Ghiraldini drops to the bench as Fabio Ongaro returns at hooker while Lorenzo Cittadini is named at tight-head following an injury to Martin Castrogiovanni.

Gower has a new halfback partner in Simon Picone and the experienced Gonzalo Canale has been recalled to midfield in place of Matteo Pratichetti. Michele Sepe replaces Kaine Robertson in the back-three.

Italy: L McLean (Benetton Treviso), M Sepe (Viadana), G Canale (Clermont Auvergne), A Masi (Racing Metro), M Bergamasco (Racing Metro), C Gower (Bayonne), S Picone (Benetton Treviso), S Perugini (Bayonne), F Ongaro (Saracens), L Cittadini (Benetton Treviso), C del Fava (Viadana), M Bortolami (Gloucester), M Vosawai (Banca Monte Parma), P Derbyshire (Petrarca Padova), S Parisse (Stade Francais, capt)

Replacements: L Ghiraldini (Benetton Treviso), F Sbaraglini (Benetton Treviso), Q Geldenhuys (Viadana), A Zanni (Benetton Treviso), T Tebaldi (Gran Parma), R Bocchino (Rovigo), M Pratichetti (Viadana)

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