Mallet reshuffles for Ireland

| Fri, 02/13/2009 - 03:37

Italy coach Nick Mallett has reshuffled his team for Sunday's visit by Ireland after last Saturday's 36-11 defeat at Twickenham.

Flanker Mauro Bergamasco, who had a nightmare match after Mallett switched him to scrum half against England, goes back to his usual position.

The Stade Francais No.7 came in for a heap of criticism after his erratic throwing had a hand in three England tries.

But Mallett refused to blame Bergamasco, saying only that ''we can expect a great game from him'' against the Irish.

''The Twickenham game was a disappointment for all of us,'' he said.

''But we've worked hard all week and we're determined to give our fans an afternoon to remember''.

Mallett acknowledged that Ireland might be an even tougher proposition than the English after their stylish 30-21 win over France at Croke Park on Sunday.

''They're coming off the win against France who they hadn't beaten in the Six Nations since 2003. They've improved considerably over the last year. They're much more dangerous than England with the ball in their hands.

''If we want to take home some points we'll have to play an impeccable game''.

Two of Mallett's other changes are injury enforced with Rovigo lock Tommaso Reato making his Six Nations debut in place of Gloucester's Marco Bortolami and Calvisano's 21-year-old fly-half Luke McLean also making his first tournament start in place of Treviso's Andrea Marcato.

In other changes, Stade Francais centre Mirco Bergamasco moves back from wing into his usual position in place of Calvisano centre Gonzalo Garcia, who did not have a good game against England.

Calvisano winger Matteo Pratichetti takes Bergamasco's place on the wing.

Rovigo wing Andrea Banchetti, 20, is on the bench and itching for his first cap.

Here is the team for the match at Rome's Stadio Flaminio on Sunday (1430 GMT):

15 Andrea Masi (Biarritz), 14 Kaine Robertson (Arix Viadana), 13 Gonzalo Canale (Clermont Auvergne), 12 Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais), 11 Matteo Pratichetti (Calvisano), 10 Luke McLean (Calvisano), 9 Paul Griffen (Calvisano), 8 Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais, captain), 7 Mauro Bergamasco (Stade Francais), 6 Alessandro Zanni (Calvisano), 5 Tommaso Reato (Rovigo), 4 Santiago Dellape' (Biarritz), 3 Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester), 2 Fabio Ongaro (Saracens), 1 Salvatore Perugini (Toulouse).

Replacements: 16 Carlo Festuccia (Racing Metro), 17 Carlos Nieto (Gloucester), 18 Carlo Antonio Del Fava (Ulster), 19 Josh Sole (Arix Viadana), 20 Giulio Toniolatti (Capitolina), 21 Gonzalo Garcia (Calvisano), 22 Andrea Bacchetti (Rovigo).

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