Centre Andrea Masi has been ruled out from tomorrow’s game in Cardiff after suffering lower back pain this morning.
The Racing Metro Paris player will be replaced in the Azzurri starting line-up by Gonzalo Canale, while Matteo Pratichetti will be on the bench.
Masi’s retirement comes on the back of Mallett losing two forwards yesterday. Lock Carlo Del Fava and flanker Paul Derbyshire have been ruled out the Italy starting line-up for the clash against Wales in the Millennium Stadium.
Both forwards suffered muscular injuries during Thursday’s training session. Gloucester’s lock Marco Bortolami and MPS Viadana’s flanker Josh Sole will replace them in the Azzurri starting line-up while lock Valerio Bernabò and flanker.Manoa Vosaeai have been called-up by head-coach Nick Mallett as bench replacements.
ITALY
15 Luke MCLEAN (Benetton Treviso, 18 caps)
14 Kaine ROBERTSON (MPS Viadana, 45 caps)
13 Andrea MASI (Racing-Metro Paris, 50 caps)
12 Gonzalo GARCIA (Benetton Treviso, 17 caps)
11 Mirco BERGAMASCO (Stade Francais, 70 caps)
10 Craig GOWER (Bayonne, 10 caps)
9 Pablo CANAVOSIO (MPS Viadana, 29 caps)
8 Alessandro ZANNI (Benetton Treviso, 41 caps)
7 Mauro BERGAMASCO (Stade Francais, 83 caps)
6 Josh SOLE (MPS Viadana, 45 caps)
5 Marco BORTOLAMI (Gloucester RFC, 81 caps)
4 Quintin GELDENHUYS (MPS Viadana, 10 caps)
3 Martin CASTROGIOVANNI (Leicester Tigers, 66 caps)
2 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Benetton Treviso, 28 caps) – captain
1 Salvatore PERUGINI (Bayonne, 70 caps)
Replacements
16 Fabio ONGARO (Saracens, 68 caps)
17 Matias AGUERO (Saracens, 16 caps)
18 Valerio BERNABO’ (Futura Park Rugby Roma, 13 caps)
19 Manoa VOSAWAI (Banca Monte Parma, 5 caps)
20 Tito TEBALDI (Plusvalore Gran Parma, 10 caps)
21 Riccardo BOCCHINO (Femi-CZ Rovigo, 2 caps)*
22 Gonzalo CANALE (Clermont Auvergne, 55 caps)
*Italian Rugby Federation Academy Member
