Italy v France, Six Nations, Stadio Olimpico
Italy name side for France clash
ESPN Staff
February 1, 2013
Italy's Tobie Botes is hit by Ireland's Jonathan Sexton, Ireland v Italy, Six Nations, Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland, February 25, 2012
Tobie Botes gets the nod at scrum-half for the France clash with rival Edoardo Gori named on the bench © Getty Images
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Tournaments/Tours: Six Nations
Teams: Italy

Italy coach Jacques Brunel has made three changes to his side for Saturday's Six Nations opener against France at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.

Treviso scrum-half Tobie Botes gets the nod ahead of team-mate Edoardo Gori in the most notable of the changes to the side narrowly beaten by Australia in their last outing. Elsewhere, Treviso's Luke McLean is drafted onto the left wing to replace the injured Mirco Bergamasco while Simone Favaro replaces Robert Barbieri at openside.

Gori drops to a new-look bench that also features Kris Burton, Paul Derbyshire, Alberto de Marchi and Gonazlo Canale.

More to follow...

Italy: Andrea Masi; Giovanbattista Venditti, Tommaso Benvenuti, Alberto Sgarbi, Luke McLean; Luciano Orquera, Tobias Botes; Andrea Lo Cicero, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Martin Castrogiovanni, Quintin Geldenhuys, Francesco Minto, Alessandro Zanni, Simone Favaro, Sergio Parisse (captain)

Replacements: Davide Giazzon, Alberto de Marchi, Lorenzo Cittadini, Antonio Pavanello, Paul Derbyshire, Edoardo Gori, Kristopher Burton, Gonzalo Canale

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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