Backline duo Lorenzo Pani and Martin Page-Relo will make their Test debuts for Italy this weekend after being named in the starting lineup to face Scotland in the Summer Nations Series.
Pani starts at full-back alongside experienced wings Pierre Bruno and Monty Ioane in an exciting back-three. Meanwhile, the talented Tommaso Menoncello starts alongside Luca Morisi in the midfield.
Harlequins star Tommaso Allan is the pivot for this clash and starts in a half-back partnership with the debuting Page-Relo.
New skipper
In the pack, Federico Ruzza captains the team from the side of the scrum with Manuel Ziliani and Toa Halafihi completing the back-row.
David Sisi is joined in the second-row but Andrea Zambonin whilst Pietro Ceccarelli, Epalahame Faiva and Federico Zani make up the front-row.
On the pine Danilo Fischetti and Filippo Alongi are the prop options with hooker Marco Manfredi the other front-row cover. Edoardo Iachizzi and Lorenzo Cannone are the remaining forward substitutions.
Scrum-half Alessandro Garbisi, Giacomo Da Re and Federico Mori round out the matchday 23.
The clash forms a key part of Italy’s Rugby World Cup preparations with less than 50 days until the global showpiece gets underway in France.
Starting XV
Italy: 15 Lorenzo Pani, 14 Pierre Bruno, 13 Tommaso Menoncello, 12 Luca Morisi, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 Martin Page-Relo, 8 Toa Halafihi, 7 Manuel Zuliani, 6 Federico Ruzza (c), 5 Andrea Zambonin, 4 David Sisi, 3 Pietro Ceccarelli, 2 Epalahame Faiva, 1 Federico Zani
Replacements: 16 Marco Manfredi, 17 Danilo Fischetti, 18 Filippo Alongi, 19 Edoardo Iachizzi, 20 Lorenzo Cannone, 21 Alessandro Garbisi, 22 Giacomo Da Re, 23 Federico Mori
Date: Saturday, July 29
Venue: Murrayfield Stadium
Kick-off: 15.15 local (14.15 GMT)
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Mathieu Raynal (France), Adam Leal (England)
TMO: Ben Whitehouse (Wales)
READ MORE: Former Ireland age-grade star handed fly-half berth for Scotland as Rory Darge captains against Italy
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