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Italy bring in Pani for Brex to face Ireland in Six Nations / Photo: CHRISTOPHE SIMON - AFP
Italy bring in Pani for Brex to face Ireland in Six Nations
Lorenzo Pani will make his first start for Italy in almost two years after head coach Gonzalo Quesada named him on Thursday to replace Juan Ignacio Brex in the team to face Ireland in the Six Nations this weekend.
The 23-year-old will start at full-back in the only personnel change to the team that beat Scotland 18-15 last weekend in atrociously wet conditions in Rome.
Leonardo Marin shifts from No.15 to outside centre to replace Argentine-born Brex, who was left out for family reasons after winning his 50th cap against the Scots.
Pani, who has nine caps, was part of the Italy squad at the 2023 World Cup.
On the bench loose forward David Odiase and back Paolo Odogwu, who both have Nigerian heritage, come in with Pani promoted to the starting line-up and fly-half Giacomo Da Re missing out.
Odiase, whose parents are Nigerian, was a talented goalkeeper in his youth and even went for a trial at AC Milan before choosing to concentrate on rugby.
Odogwu, who plays at centre or on the wing and whose father is half Nigerian and half Italian, was born and brought up in England.
An England youth international, he was called up by then-England coach Eddie Jones to the 2011 Six Nations squad but never turned out for the team.
Scottish referee Hollie Davidson will make history on Saturday in Dublin when she becomes the first woman to officiate a men's Six Nations match.
Italy are seeking only their second victory over Ireland in the Six Nations. Their one success, in 26 previous attempts in the competition, was a 22-15 win in Rome in 2013.
Ireland come into the match smarting from their 36-14 loss to France in their tournament opener last week.
Quesada is still without a host of injured first-team regulars including scrum-half Martin Page-Relo, fly-half Tommaso Allan, back-row pair Sebastian Negri and Ross Vintcent, hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi and prop Marco Riccioni, as well as dazzling young wing Edoardo Todaro.
And although dashing winger Ange Capuozzo returned to the squad earlier this week following a finger injury, he has not been picked.
Team (15-1)
Lorenzo Pani; Louis Lynagh, Leonardo Marin, Tommaso Menoncello, Monty Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Alessandro Fusco; Lorenzo Cannone, Manuel Zuliani, Michele Lamaro (capt); Andrea Zambonin, Niccolo Cannone; Simone Ferrari, Giacomo Nicotera, Danilo Fischetti
Replacements: Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Mirco Spagnolo, Muhamed Hasa, Federico Ruzza, Riccardo Favretto, David Odiase, Alessandro Garbisi, Paolo Odogwu
C.Valero--HdM
