Under 20 World Cup: Italy’s lineup for their debut against Ireland

The technical manager of the Italy Under 20s, Roberto Santamaria, has made official the line-up that will challenge Ireland in the first round of the World Rugby Under 20 Championship in Cape Town, South Africa.

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Compared to the team that won the friendly match in San Benedetto del Tronto against Spain two weeks ago by 36 to 5, the technical staff made 6 changes in the starting XV.

In the front line, Sergio Pelliccioli and Nicholas Gasperini are back, taking the place of Francesco Gentile and Valerio Siciliano, while prop Davide Ascari keeps a number 3 jersey. In the second line, Giacomo Milano returns to pair up with Mattia Midena, while the third line composed of Cesare Zucconi, Luca Bellucci and captain Jacopo Botturi is fully confirmed from the last outing in the Marche region.

In midfield, the attacking operations are entrusted to Mattia Jimenez, starting number 9 alongside Martino Pucciariello who confirms himself as the most used fly-half of 2024. The pair of centers is made up of Nicola Bozzo and Federico Zanandrea, already capable of find a good understanding during the 2024 Six Nations.

In the extended triangle there is space for the mix of speed and power of Marco Scalabrin and Lorenzo Elettri, while Mirko Belloni will play at number 15. On the bench, coach Santamaria opts for a 5 + 3, with the forwards Siciliano, Gentile, Pisani, Redondi, Casartelli flanked by the attacking midfielders Casilio, Brisighella, De Villiers.

Read also: Italy U20: head coach Roberto Santamaria presents the youth world championship

The Italy Under 20 lineup for the match against Ireland

15 BELLONI Mirko (2004, Verona Rugby)
14 SCALABRIN Marco (2004, Rugby Vicenza)
13 ZANANDREA Federico (2005, Mogliano Veneto Rugby)
12 DRAFT Nicola (2004, USA Perpignan)
11 ELECTRI Lorenzo (2004, Rugby Rovigo Delta)
10 PUCCIARIELLO Martino (2004, CUS Milan)
9 JIMENEZ Mattia (2004, Rugby Petrarca)
8 BOTTURI Jacopo – Captain (2004, Petrarca Rugby)
7 BELLUCCI Luca (2004, Rugby Roma Olimpic)
6 ZUCCONI Cesare (2004, Cavalieri UR Prato Sesto)
5 MILAN Giacomo (2005, UR Capitolina)
4 MIDENA Mattia (2005, Rugby Country)
3 ASCARI Davide (Rugby Colorno 1975)
2 GASPERINI Nicholas (2004, Rugby Viadana 1970)
1 PELLICCIOLI Sergio (2005, Rugby Lyons)

Available:
16 SICILIAN Valerio (2004, CA Briviste Corrèze)
17 GENTILE Francesco (2004, Mogliano Veneto Rugby)
18 PISANI Federico (2004, Verona Rugby)
19 REDONDI Tommaso (2005, Verona Rugby)
20 CASARTELLI Nelson (2005, Benetton Rugby)
21 CASILIO Lorenzo (2004, Rugby Vicenza)
22 BRISIGHELLA Simone (2004, Rugby Viadana 1970)
23 DE VILLIERS Patrick (2004, Rugby Noceto)

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