Italy Name Side to Face Springboks in Turin With 16 Players Missing
- Monty Ioane is set to earn his 50th cap for Italy when the Azzurri face South Africa on 7 November 2026
- Hooker Giacomo Nicotera will captain the side for only the second time, fresh from a hat-trick in the Top 14
- Italy are without 16 players, including captain Michele Lamaro, as they prepare to host the world champions
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Italy have named their starting line-up for Saturday's Nations Championship clash against South Africa in Turin, with Australian-born wing Monty Ioane set to reach a personal milestone in the fixture.
Ioane, who lines up alongside Toulouse's Ange Capuozzo and Zebre fullback Mirko Belloni in the back three, will make his 50th Test appearance for the Azzurri. Coach Gonzalo Quesada confirmed the team on Thursday.
Nicotera to captain depleted Italy
Hooker Giacomo Nicotera will lead the side for only the second time in his career. He comes into the match in fine form after scoring a hat-trick of tries for Stade Français in a 43-24 Top 14 win over La Rochelle last Saturday. Simone Ferrari starts at tighthead prop with Muhamed Hasa at loosehead.
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Quesada is working with a significantly reduced squad, missing 16 players in total. Among the absentees are regular captain Michele Lamaro, as well as key forwards Sebastian Negri and Andrea Zambonin. Samuele Locatelli will make his Test debut at openside flanker, stepping into Lamaro's position, while Alessandro Ortombina starts at blindside in just his third appearance for Italy.
Federico Ruzza and Niccolò Cannone form the second row, with Lorenzo Cannone at number eight. In the centres, Paolo Odogwu partners Leonardo Marin following injuries to Tommaso Menoncello and Juan Ignacio Brex.
Ferrari and replacement back Tommaso Allan are the only two players in the matchday squad who featured in Italy's solitary victory over the Springboks in 19 previous meetings: a 20-18 win in Florence 10 years ago.
Springboks return to scene of last year's win
South Africa arrive in Turin after beating Italy 32-14 at the same Allianz Stadium venue a year ago. The result was all the more remarkable because South Africa played most of the match with 14 men after Franco Mostert's early red card.
Siya Kolisi captains the Springboks, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at fly-half and Damian Willemse at fullback. Manie Libbok, recently confirmed to be returning to South Africa, is named among the replacements.
Kick-off is scheduled for 13:40 SA time, with Irishman Eoghan Cross refereeing the match.
Springboks' November Nations Championship schedule
The Italy encounter opens a demanding three-Test European campaign for Rassie Erasmus' side. South Africa will face France at Stade de France on Friday, 13 November, before travelling to Dublin to meet Ireland at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, 21 November.
The Nations Championship Finals Weekend follows in London from 27 to 29 November. The Springboks will first want to negotiate their Italian assignment successfully.
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Confirmed team line-ups
Italy starting XV: Mirko Belloni, Ange Capuozzo, Paolo Odogwu, Leonardo Marin, Monty Ioane, Paolo Garbisi, Alessandro Fusco, Lorenzo Cannone, Samuele Locatelli, Alessandro Ortombina, Federico Ruzza, Niccolò Cannone, Simone Ferrari, Giacomo Nicotera (captain), Muhamed Hasa.
Replacements: Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Danilo Fischetti, Ion Neculai, Enoch Opoku Gyamfi, Ross Vintcent, Manuel Zuliani, Stephen Varney and Tommaso Allan.
South Africa starting XV: Damian Willemse, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Ethan Hooker, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Morne van den Berg, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain), Ruan Nortje, Salmaan Moerat, Thomas du Toit, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche.
Replacements: Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, Wilco Louw, Lood de Jager, Cameron Hanekom, Paul de Villiers, Grant Williams and Manie Libbok.
Rugby's financial divide raises concerns for smaller nations
Briefly News previously reported that the financial gap between rugby's leading nations and their smaller rivals was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
A new report highlighted how some Tier Two players earn less than £500 (approximately R11,020) per week, while their counterparts in wealthier rugby nations enjoy significantly better financial rewards.
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Source: Briefly News
