(Reuters) – Jayden Hayward has been drafted in at fullback as Italy coach Franco Smith made one change to his starting lineup for their Six Nations clash against France in Paris on Sunday.
Italy are seeking to bounce back from a 42-0 loss to Wales in their competition opener last weekend in Cardiff, but Smith has resisted wholesale changes in favour of continuity.
Hayward comes off the bench to take over from Matteo Minozzi, who moves onto the wing in the place of Leonardo Sarto.
Sarto drops out of the match-day squad altogether as Mattia Bellini makes up the third member of the back three.
Flyhalf Tommaso Allan and scrumhalf Callum Braley make up the half-back pairing, and Carlo Canna and Luca Morisi the centres.
Lock Alessandro Zanni will win a 119th test cap, drawing level with former prop Martin Castrogiovanni in second on the all-time list for Italy, behind recently retired captain Sergio Parisse (142).
Niccolo Cannone, who debuted last weekend, retains his place alongside Zanni in the second row.
“The debut against Wales served as a lesson,” Smith told the Italian Rugby Federation website (www.federugby.it).
“Let’s look forward now to the work done this week. We are trying to improve our mechanisms and trying to show the best version of ourselves.
“It will be a tough game on Sunday that we will play with greater awareness of our capabilities.”
Italy have not won any of their last 23 Six Nations matches, with their previous success a 22-19 victory over Scotland at Murrayfield in 2015.
Their last win against France was in Rome seven years ago, while their only ever win in France came in Grenoble in 1997.
Team: 15-Jayden Hayward, 14-Mattia Bellini, 13-Luca Morisi, 12-Carlo Canna, 11-Matteo Minozzi, 10-Tommaso Allan, 9-Callum Braley, 8-Braam Steyn, 7-Sebastian Negri, 6-Jake Polledri, 5-Niccolo Cannone, 4-Alessandro Zanni, 3-Giosue Zilocchi, 2-Luca Bigi (captain), 1-Andrea Lovotti.
Replacements: 16-Federico Zani, 17-Danilo Fischetti, 18-Marco Riccioni, 19-Dean Budd, 20-Federico Ruzza, 21-Giovanni Licata, 22-Guglielmo Palazzani, 23-Giulio Bisegni.
