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Sergio Parisse is back to provide a huge boost for Italy as they face Ireland in their Pool D match at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday. If the Azzurri have any hopes of recreating their victory in 2013, the captain will have to be at his very best against a first choice Irish team set on finishing first in the pool.
After beating Romania with a largely reserve side, Joe Schmidt has returned to the team that defeated Canada on the opening weekend, with the only changes coming in the backs. Robbie Henshaw is fit to resume duties in the midfield where he will be partnered by Keith Earls, while Tommy Bowe has earned his spot on the wing. Injury rules out regular fullback Rob Kearney, so Simon Zebo will once again wear the no15 jersey.
Parisse will have the help of two more Argentines, with Matías Agüero returning at loosehead prop and Gonzalo Garcia retained in the midfield. Michele Campagnaro swaps jerseys with Tommaso Benvenuti, and Simone Favaro is recalled at the expense of Alessandro Zanni after missing out on the Canada match. Vice-captain Leonardo Ghiraldini is not fit enough to partake, and his hooking duties will go to Andrea Manici.
The win in 2013 is Italy’s only victory over Ireland since 1997, with a string of 17 straight Irish wins preceding it, and the last two meetings going to Ireland as well. The Azzurri lost 26-3 in Rome earlier this year during the Six Nations Championship.
IRELAND
1 Jack McGrath 2 Rory Best 3 Mike Ross 4 Iain Henderson 5 Paul O’Connell (capt.) 6 Peter O’Mahony 7 Sean O’Brien 8 Jamie Heaslip 9 Conor Murray 10 Jonathan Sexton 11 Dave Kearney 12 Robbie Henshaw 13 Keith Earls 14 Tommy Bowe 15 Simon Zebo
16 Sean Cronin 17 Cian Healy 18 Nathan White 19 Devin Toner 20 Chris Henry 21 Eoin Reddan 22 Ian Madigan 23 Luke Fitzgerald
ITALY
1 Matías Agüero 2 Andrea Manici 3 Lorenzo Cittadini 4 Quintin Geldenhuys 5 Joshua Furno 6 Francesco Minto 7 Simone Favaro 8 Sergio Parisse (capt.) 9 Edoardo Gori 10 Tommaso Allan 11 Giovanbattista Venditti 12 Gonzalo García 13 Michele Campagnaro 14 Leonardo Sarto 15 Luke McLean
16 Davide Giazzon 17 Michele Rizzo 18 Dario Chistolini 19 Alessandro Zanni 20 Mauro Bergamasco 21 Guglielmo Palazzani 22 Carlo Canna 23 Tommaso Benvenuti
