Italy v Wales, Six Nations, February 23
Castrogiovanni to captain Italy against Wales
ESPN Staff
February 21, 2013
Martin Castrogiovanni and Sergio Parisse boom out the national anthem, France v Italy, Six Nations, Stade de France, Paris, France, February 4, 2012
Martin Castrogiovanni (left) takes over the captaincy from the suspended Sergio Parisse © Getty Images
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Players/Officials: Martin Castrogiovanni | Manoa Vosawai
Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations
Teams: Italy

Prop Martin Castrogiovanni will captain Italy in their Six Nations clash against Wales at the Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.

The Leicester tight-head will lead his country for the third time in the absence of usual skipper Sergio Parisse who picked up a 40-day suspension yesterday for abusing a referee while playing for his club Stade Francais in the French Top 14 last weekend.

Fly-half Luciano Orquera and scrum-half Tobias Botes are dropped to the bench in the wake of the 34-10 defeat to Scotland in their last outing with Kristopher Burton and Edoardo Gori handed the chance to impress. There is also a change in the second row with Antonio Pavanello preferred to Quintin Geldenhuys, who is also named among the replacements, while Manoa Vosawai is promoted from outside the matchday squad to fill the void at No.8 left by Parisse.

Italy have beaten Wales on two previous Six Nations occasions in Rome - in 2003 and 2007 - and it will be the countries' first championship meeting at the Stadio Olimpico.

Italy: Andrea Masi; Giovanbattista Venditti, Tommaso Benvenuti, Gonzalo Canale, Luke McLean; Kristopher Burton, Edoardo Gori; Andrea Lo Cicero, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Martin Castrogiovanni (capt), Antonio Pavanello, Francesco Minto, Alessandro Zanni, Simone Favaro, Manoa Voaswai

Replacements: Davide Gizazzon, Alberto de Marchi, Lorenzo Cittadini, Quintin Geldenhuys, Paul Derbyshire, Tobias Botes, Luciano Orquera, Gonzalo Garcia.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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