Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada has named a settled team for the opening match of their Quilter Nations Series against Australia on Saturday in Udine.

Just three players in the starting XV – wing Louis Lynagh, flanker Ross Vintcent and lock Andrea Zambonin – have fewer than 20 caps, with no uncapped players in the squad.

This is despite Quesada selecting a handful of promising rookies in his wider squad for the series. However, with South Africa to come next week, the coach is probably looking at fielding his strongest two sides for he first two matches, with the chance for experimentation coming against Chile later in November.

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There are still some notable absences in the squad, with a thigh injury preventing captain Michele Lamaro from playing. The Azzurri have been hit hardest in the back-row, with Sebastian Negri also unavailable with a foot injury.

Centre Juan Ignacio Brex will captain his country in Lamaro’s place.

Italy

Australia

Italy XV
15. Ange Capuozzo (Toulouse, 28 caps)
14. Louis Lynagh (Benetton Rugby, 7 caps)
13. Juan Ignacio Brex (Toulon, 46 caps) – captain
12. Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton Rugby, 31 caps)
11. Monty Ioane (Lyon, 39 caps)
10. Paolo Garbisi (Toulon, 47 caps)
9. Stephen Varney (Exeter Chiefs, 34 caps)
8. Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 30 caps)
7. Manuel Zuliani (Benetton Rugby, 35 caps)
6. Ross Vintcent (Exeter Chiefs, 17 caps)
5. Andrea Zambonin (Exeter Chiefs, 12 caps)
4. Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 55 caps)
3. Simone Ferrari (Benetton Rugby, 66 caps)
2. Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Français, 34 caps)
1. Danilo Fischetti (Northampton Saints, 55 caps)

Replacements
16. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Zebre Parma, 3 caps)
17. Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton Rugby, 16 caps)
18. Marco Riccioni (Saracens, 34 caps)
19. Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby, 64 caps)
20. Alessandro Izekor (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps)
21. Martin Page-Relo (Bordeaux, 18 caps)
22. Tommaso Allan (Perpignan, 86 caps)
23. Leonardo Marin (Benetton Rugby, 15 caps)