No Parisse for Italy against Canada

Italy will be without captain Sergio Parisse against Canada, with the world class no8 instead remaining in Paris as he recovers from a hematoma suffered against Wales two weeks before the tournament. Jacques Brunel has also had to replace influential centre Andrea Masi, out with a torn Achilles tendon, and has made three other changes to the side that fell to France 32-10 at Twickenham on Saturday.

Argentine props Matías Agüero and Martín Castrogiovanni have both been axed, with England-based duo Michele Rizzo and Lorenzo Cittadini selected to start in their place. Gonzalo García, another born in Argentina, has recovered sufficiently from an ankle injury to take Masi’s place at inside centre. An odd decision sees star outside centre Michele Campagnaro benched with Tommaso Benvenuti taking his place while the rest of the side remains intact.

Among the reserves, Andrea Manici and Valerio Bernabò drop out, with Davide Giazzon the backup hooker and Marco Fuser nominated as second row cover. With many calling for the promotion of flanker Simone Favaro to the starting lineup, Brunel has instead bizarrely left him out of the match day squad altogether, choosing aging Mauro Bergamasco in his place.

Italy have beaten Canada on four consecutive occasions, the last coming in 2012. The Azzurri must defeat the Canucks if they have any hope of making the quarter finals, or earning automatic qualification for the 2019 World Cup, rewarded to the third-place Pool D finisher.

ITALY
1 Michele Rizzo 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini (capt.) 3 Lorenzo Cittadini 4 Quintin Geldenhuys 5 Joshua Furno 6 Alessandro Zanni 7 Francesco Minto 8 Samuela Vunisa 9 Edoardo Gori 10 Tommaso Allan 11 Giovanbattista Venditti 12 Gonzalo García 13 Tommaso Benvenuti 14 Leonardo Sarto 15 Luke McLean

16 Davide Giazzon 17 Matías Agüero 18 Martín Castrogiovanni 19 Marco Fuser 20 Mauro Bergamasco 21 Guglielmo Palazzani 22 Carlo Canna 23 Michele Campagnaro