Former Argentina Fly-half Gonzalo Quesada will face off against his home nations, this Saturday when they welcome Los Pumas to Udine.
It will be the 24th match between the two teams, the twelfth in Italy and the first ever in Udine with a total of 5 wins for the Azzurri, one draw and 17 wins for Argentina with the last success for Italy dating back to 2008 in Cordoba.
Mirco Spagnolo who one of the best prospects to emerge from the Italian Serie A elite championship in recent seasons wins his ninth cap alongside Saracens man Marco Riccioni and is named as the starting props, with Toulon player Gianmarco Lucchesi named as the starting hooker.
It's an all-Benetton Rugby second-row and back-row, with Niccolo Cannone and Federico Ruzza packing down in the engine room. Sebastian Negri starts at blindside flanker, with Captain Michele Lamaro starting as the open-side flanker. Lorenzo Cannone starts in at number 8 alongside his brother Niccolo (No.4) finishing off the forwards.
It's a French midfield, with Lyon player Page-Relo starting at scrum-half alongside Toulon star Paolo Garbisi at fly-half. We see the inevitable choice of a solid centre duo made up of the 2024 Guinness Men's Six Nations Player of the Championship, Tommaso Menoncello, and the only 'Argentine' in Italy, Juan Ignacio 'Nacho' Brex.
In the back three, it's all speed and dynamism with Ioane and Lynagh starting on the weeks. With Lynagh making his fifth appearance for the Azzurri. They are aided by the dynamic Ange Capuozo, who starts at full-back a role in which Quesada continues to prefer him in.
The bench sees the return of Dino Lamb who missed the last World Cup due to injury. Tommaso Allan is the highest-capped Italian player in the squad (80) and he returns after he stepped away from the Italian squad during the 2024 Guinness Men's Six Nations, for personal reasons. Alessandro Garbisi is also on the bench with him, with coaches opting for a 5-3 split. The back substitute is rounded up by Marco Zanon, while back row Manuel Zuliani is preferred on this occasion to the emerging star Ross Vintcent.
Giacomo Nicotera, Danilo Fishetti and Simone Ferrari are the front-row replacements for the week.
This is the lineup of Italy that will take to the field against Argentina on Saturday:
15 Ange CAPUOZZO (Stade Toulousain, 21 caps)
14 Louis LYNAGH (Benetton Rugby, 4 caps)
13 Juan Ignacio BREX (Benetton Rugby, 38 caps)
12 Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, 20 caps)
11 Monty IOANE (Lione 32 caps)
10 Paolo GARBISI (Toulon RC, 39 caps)
9 Martin PAGE-RELO (Lione, 11 caps)
8 Lorenzo CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 22 caps)
7 Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 41 caps) – capitano
6 Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 55 caps)
5 Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 57 caps)
4 Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 44 caps)
3 Marco RICCIONI (Saracens, 28 caps)
2 Gianmarco LUCCHESI (Toulon RC, 25 caps)
1 Mirco SPAGNOLO (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
A disposizione
16 Giacomo NICOTERA (Stade Francais, 25 caps)
17 Danilo FISCHETTI (Zebre Parma, 44 caps)
18 Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 56 caps)
19 Dino LAMB (Harlequins, 6 caps)
20 Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 24 caps)
21 Alessandro GARBISI (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)
22 Tommaso ALLAN (USAP Perpignan, 80 caps)
23 Marco ZANON (Benetton Rugby, 15 caps)
