Italy name team for the challenge against South Africa

November 13, 2025
1402
Ultimate Rugby

Gonzalo Quesada, Head Coach of the Italian Men's National Team, has announced the squad that will face South Africa on Saturday, November 15th, at 1:40 PM at the Allianz Stadium in Turin in the Azzurri's second Test Match of the Quilter Nations Series. The match will be broadcast live on Sky Sport Uno, Now TV, Rai Sport, and Rai Play.

It will be the 19th meeting between the two teams, the third in 2025 – after the two matches played in the 2025 Summer Tour in Pretoria and Port Elizabeth – and the ninth in Italy.

Only one change in the starting XV compared to the match won against Australia 26-19 in Udine last Saturday 8 November, with Riccioni being inserted into the front line in place of Ferrari.

Capuozzo, Ioane, and Lynagh form a loose triangle, with both Italian wingers scoring tries in Italy's season opener. Captain Brex and Menoncello form a solid center pairing, while Paolo Garbisi and Stephen Varney will be the key midfielders, the latter named Player of the Match in the victory against the Wallabies.

Alongside Lorenzo Cannone—wearing the number eight jersey—will be Zuliani and Vintcent on the back row. Zambonin and Niccolò Cannone will be on the second row, while Riccioni, Nicotera, and Fischetti will start from the start.

Ready to come off the bench alongside Ferrari and Allan – the only two players to have survived the historic victory against South Africa in 2016 in Florence – will be Di Bartolomeo, Spagnolo, Ruzza, Favretto, Odiase – who collected his two Azzurri caps against the Springboks in the 2025 Summer Tour – and Page-Relo.

New Zealander James Doleman will referee the match.

This is the lineup that will take to the field:

15 Ange CAPUOZZO (Stade Toulousain, 29 caps)

14 Louis LYNAGH (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)

13 Juan Ignacio BREX (Toulon, 47 caps) – captain

12 Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, 32 caps)

11 Monty IOANE (Lyon, 40 caps)

10 Paolo GARBISI (Toulon, 48 caps)

9 Stephen VARNEY (Exeter Chiefs, 35 caps)

8 Lorenzo CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 31 caps)

7 Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 36 caps)

6 Ross VINTCENT (Exeter Chiefs, 18 caps)