Tommaso Allan has been named at flyhalf for Italy in their Six Nations opener against France in Rome on Sunday as coach Kieran Crowley’s side look to build on a successful autumn international series.
Harlequins pivot Allan will be partnered by Gloucester scrumhalf Stephen Varney, with Luca Morisi and Juan Ignacio Brex making up the midfield. Livewire fullback Ange Capuozzo is part of a back three that also includes wings Pierre Bruno and Tommaso Menoncello.
The latter is one of nine players from the Benetton club in the starting XV, including seven from the forward pack.
The odd one out is London Irish prop Danilo Fischetti, who will pack down with Simone Ferrari and hooker Giacomo Nicotera. The second row comprises Niccolo Cannone and Federico Ruzza.
Lorenzo Cannone is at No 8 and will be behind flankers Sebastian Negri and captain Michele Lamaro.
"We have worked well in these two weeks in camp," Crowley said in a media release on Friday. "We will face the team that won the last Six Nations. We are trying to build on the work we have done to create our own identity and the way we play by focusing on our performance with the goal of showing the best version of ourselves."
Italy claimed a first Six Nations win in seven years when they defeated Wales 22-21 in Cardiff in their final fixture last season, ending a 36-game losing streak in the competition.
They followed that up with a historic first victory over Australia in the autumn internationals.
TEAM: 15-Ange Capuozzo (Stade Toulousain, 7 caps), 14-Pierre Bruno (Zebre Parma, 7 caps), 13-Juan Ignacio Brex (Benetton Rugby, 18 caps), 12-Luca Morisi (London Irish, 39 caps), 11-Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps), 10-Tommaso Allan (Harlequins, 66 caps), 9-Stephen Varney (Gloucester Rugby, 15 caps), 8-Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 3 caps), 7-Michele Lamaro (Benetton Rugby, 21 caps) – captain, 6-Sebastian Negri (Benetton Rugby, 40 caps), 5-Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby, 36 caps), 4-Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 25 caps), 3-Simone Ferrari (Benetton Rugby, 40 caps), 2-Giacomo Nicotera (Benetton Rugby, 7 caps), 1-Danilo Fischetti (London Irish, 25 caps)
REPLACEMENTS: 16-Luca Bigi (Zebre Parma 42 caps), 17-Federico Zani (Benetton Rugby, 16 caps), 18-Pietro Ceccarelli (Brive, 24 caps), 19-Edoardo Iachizzi (Vannes, debutant), 20-Giovanni Pettinelli (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps), 21-Manuel Zuliani (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps), 22-Alessandro Fusco (Zebre Parma, 5 caps), 23-Edoardo Padovani (Benetton Rugby, 40 caps)