Italy ring changes for Springboks Test
Only five of the Italy team narrowly beaten by Ireland in their final 2025 Six Nations Championship match will face Rugby World Cup title-holders South Africa in Pretoria on Saturday.
Centre Tommaso Menoncello is the only backline survivor from the Azzurri team that started a 22-17 loss to the Irish in Rome last March.
Props Danilo Fischetti and Simone Ferrari, flanker Manuel Zuliani and number 8 Lorenzo Cannone are other starters who remain from a match that ended with Italy finishing fifth, ahead of Wales.
Argentina-born coach Gonzalo Quesada opted to rest many of those involved in the Six Nations campaign as he seeks to build squad depth before the 2027 World Cup in Australia.
Among the 10 changes to the starting line-up from the Ireland match is full-back Jacopo Trulla replacing Tommaso Allan. He scored three tries in a 73-6 warm-up win over Namibia last Friday.
"Many of those rested have played a lot of rugby during the past two seasons so I believe they deserve a break," the coach told reporters.
"Our two Tests against the Springboks present an opportunity to test other contenders for the World Cup squad," he added.
After the first Test at Loftus Versfeld stadium, Italy travel to Indian Ocean city Gqeberha for the second and final international against South Africa on July 12.
The countries have met seven times in South Africa with the home team winning each Test, including a 101-0 triumph in 1999 at Kings Park in Durban.
Team (15-1)
Jacopo Trulla; Louis Lynagh, Tommaso Menoncello, Marco Zanon, Simone Gesi; Giacomo Da Re, Alessandro Fusco; Lorenzo Cannone, Manuel Zuliani, Alessandro Izekor; Andrea Zambonin, Niccolo Cannone (capt); Simone Ferrari, Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Danilo Fischetti
Replcements: Pablo Dimcheff, Mirco Spagnolo, Muhamed Hasa, Matteo Canali, Ross Vintcent, David Odiase, Alessandro Garbisi, Giulio Bertaccini
Coach: Gonzalo Quesada (ARG)
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