Italy
Last week's win in Edinburgh has boosted the morale of the Italy U20 team, who have worked hard this week to be in top form for their first home game of the U20 Six Nations, in round two of the 2025 U20 Six Nations.
Mattia Midena, Giulio Sari and Riccardo Ioannucci join the matchday 23, in the three changes from last week's squad, for a challenge that promises to be hard-fought.
“We have chosen a first XV that reflects the one that took to the field in Edinburgh – comments Santamaria – to give some continuity to the work we are doing, changing something on the bench because we think that the match could develop differently than the one with Scotland."
"We face a very tough match against a Wales team looking for redemption. They are a solid team in every aspect of the game: it will be a real battle on every meeting point, that know how to play well in strategic situations: however, the boys are well aware of this and have prepared themselves as best as possible”.
Italy's lineup for the match against Wales:
15. Gianmarco Pietramala (Unione Rugby Firenze)
14. Jules Ducros (Montpellier Herault Rugby)
13. Federico Zanandrea (Mogliano Veneto Rugby)
12. Edoardo Todaro (Northampton Saints Academy)
11. Malik Faissal (Rugby Parma FC 1931)
10. Roberto Fasti (Rugby Casale)
9. Niccolò Beni (Biarritz Olympique)
8. Giacomo Milano (Captain, Rugby Noceto FC)
7. Nelson Casartelli (Rugby Paese)
6. Antony Miranda (Rugby Paese)
5. Enoch Opoku Gyamfi (Bath Rugby Academy)
4. Tommaso Redondi (Verona Rugby)
3. Bruno Vallesi (Rugby Viadana 1970)
2. Alessio Caiolo-Serra (Stade Olympique Chambérien Rugby)
1. Sergio Pelliccioli (Rugby Petrarca)
Available:
16. Giacomo Casiraghi (Biella Rugby Club)
17. Christian Brasini (Livorno Rugby)
18. Nicola Bolognini (Rugby Badia 1981)
19. Mattia Midena (Rugby Paese)
20. Carlo Antonio Bianchi (Unione Rugby Firenze)
21. Giulio Sari (US Oyonnax Rugby)
22. Pietro Celi (Livorno Rugby)
23. Riccardo Ioannucci (Rugby Petrarca)
Wales
Head coach Richard Whiffin has confirmed his Wales U20 men’s matchday squad to face Italy in round two of the 2025 U20 Six Nations.
Wales head to Treviso to tackle the home side on Friday at Stadio Comunale di Monigo with a side showing four changes to the starting XV which lost 63-19 to France in the opening round.
Up front, Bristol Bears loosehead prop Louie Trevett replaces Ioan Emanuel while Ospreys lock Dan Gemine comes in for Nick Thomas. In the backs, Sale Sharks’ Osian Roberts is set for a Wales U20 debut at centre, replacing Elijah Evans with Cardiff Rugby’s Tom Bowen getting his first start on the wing in place of Harry Rees-Weldon, after coming on as a second half replacement against France.
Whiffin said the squad have already put Saturday’s defeat behind them as they now focus on getting a result against Italy.“The score-line didn’t really reflect how the game was. We felt we were in the game the whole time, so we’ve pushed on that and looked at the positives but obviously there are areas where we need to improve,” he said.
“We’ve gone through the game in large detail and there were lots of positives to come out of it. I thought our pack fronted up incredibly well."
“Up to 50 minutes, we were right in the game but a couple of contentious decisions probably didn’t go our way. Yes, the wheels came off when trying to chase the game a little bit but I actually thought there was some really good elements from our team we can hang our hat on."
“We’re confident in every single game we go in to. We’ve got a good plan that we are going after. Italy are a big physical team but there’s opportunities for us to move them around and be smart with our kicking game and try and preserve some space for our outside backs to get on top of them,” added Whiffin.
Wales U20 v Italy U20
15 Scott Delnevo (Aberavon)
14 Aidan Boshoff (Bristol Bears)
13 Osian Roberts (Sale Sharks)
12 Steffan Emanuel (Cardiff Rugby)
11 Tom Bowen (Cardiff Rugby)
10 Harri Wilde (Cardiff Rugby)
9 Logan Franklin (Dragons RFC);
1 Louie Trevett (Bristol Bears)
2 Harry Thomas (Scarlets)
3 Sam Scott (Bristol Bers)
4 Kenzie Jenkins (Bristol Bears)
5 Dan Gemine (Ospreys)
6 Deian Gwynne (Gloucester)
7 Harry Beddall (Leicester Tigers – Capt)
8 Evan Minto (Dragons RFC)
Replacements:
16 Saul Hurley (Aberavon)
17 Ioan Emanuel (Bath Rugby)
18 Jac Pritchard (Scarlets)
19 Tom Cottle (RGC)
20 Ryan Jones (Dragons RFC)
21 Sion Davies (Cardiff Rugby)
22 Harri Ford (Dragons)
23 Elijah Evans (Cardiff Rugby)
