Zebre Parma change nine for Stormers

Italian side Zebre have made nine changes, and have selected virtually none of their South African contingent for their Vodacom United Rugby Championship match against the DHL Stormers in Parma on Saturday.

Players such as MJ Pelser, Richard Kriel and others who were part of the side that ran the Sharks and Leinster close are nowhere to be found as the side stuck with Italian based players for the match.

Zebre Coach Fabio Roselli said they were looking to blood new players against the Stormers.

"DHL Stormers are a physical and fast team with a style of play that could actually favour our philosophy. We are proud to add new players to the line-up every week, some of them making their first appearance in the United Rugby Championship and with Zebre. We are sure that their contribution will be positive, because since the beginning of pre-season they are showing attitude, learning ability and hard work, aspects that are the basis for growing and doing well.

"We come from a game with Munster in which we were in emergency for most of the time due to three injuries in the centres' union. Nevertheless, this Saturday we line up a solid and balanced team that wants to express in an exciting way what is our style. Once again, the first half of the game will be decisive; we should do better in terms of play, discipline and realised chances”.

Zebre Parma: Jacopo Trulla; Latu Latunipulu, Tommaso Boni, Damiano Mazza, Simone Gesi; Tiff Eden, Chris Cook; Juan Pitinari, Jacques du Toit, Ion Neculai; David Sisi (capt) Andrea Zambonin; Davide Ruggeri, Iacopo Bianchi, Taina Fox-Matamua

Replacements: Luca Bigi, Luca Rizzoli, Matteo Nocera, Gabrielle Venditti, Luca Andreani, Alessandro Fusco, Joey Caputo, Lorenzo Pani.