Six Nations
Italy change four for Ireland
ESPNscrum Staff
February 22, 2012
Aurelien Rougerie wraps up Alberto Sgarbi, France v Italy, Six Nations, Stade de France, Paris, France, February 4, 2012
Alberto Sgarbi starts at inside centre for Italy © Getty Images
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Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations
Teams: Ireland | Italy

Italy boss Jacques Brunel has opted to make four changes for their trip to Ireland on Saturday.

Brunel's side fell to England in Rome in their previous match and he has opted to bring in Alberto Sgarbi, Michele Rizzo, Lorenzo Cittadini and fly-half Tobias Botes for their trip to Ireland.

South African-born Botes has made two substitute appearances for the Azzurri so far in this year's Six Nations and replaces Kristopher Burton at fly-half. Botes, however, endured a torrid time against England as he missed two late kicks to put Stuart Lancaster's charges under pressure.

Burton drops to the bench where he is joined by Gonzalo Canale with Sgarbi stepping into the centres. Cittadini comes into the side for the injured Martin Castrogiovanni with Rizzo starting instead of Andrea Lo Cicero.

Italy:

Andrea Masi, Giovanbattista Vendetti, Tommaso Benvenuti, Alberto Sgarbi, Luke McLean, Tobias Botes, Edoardo Gori, Michele Rizzo, Leonard Ghiraldini, Lorenzo Cittadini, Quintin Geldenhuys, Marco Bortolami, Alessandro Zanni, Robert Barbieri, Sergio Parisse (c)

Replacements: Tommaso D'Apice, Fabio Staibano, Antonio Pavanello, Simone Favaro, Fabio Semenzato, Kristopher Burton, Gonzalo Canale

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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