Italy have dropped flanker Sebastian Negri as one of three changes for their Six Nations match against England in Rome on Sunday.
Negri was the most effective carrier in the Azzurri’s pack against France in round one but he is demoted to the bench in favour of South African-born Braam Steyn.
Negri was responsible for the ‘crocodile roll’ on Jack Willis in the same fixture last year and the Wasps flanker has been unable to play since because of the knee damage sustained.
Bordeaux’s Federico Mori replaces Tommaso Menoncello on the right wing while tighthead prop Pietro Ceccarelli comes in for Tiziano Pasquali.
Italy are playing to avoid a 34th successive Six Nations defeat in a run that dates back to 2015.
— Italrugby (@Federugby) February 11, 2022
Italy team to play England
Forwards: 1 Danilo Fischetti, 2 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 3 Pietro Ceccarelli, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 5 Federico Ruzza, 6 Braam Steyn, 7 Michele Lamaro (Captain), 8 Toa Halafihi
Backs: 9 Stephen Varney, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 11 Montanna Ioane, 12 Marco Zanon, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 14 Federico Mori, 15 Edoardo Padovani
Replacements: 16 Epalahame Faiva, 17 Cherif Traore', 18 Tiziano Pasquali, 19 David Sisi, 20 Sebastian Negri, 21 Giovanni Pettinelli, 22 Alessandro Fusco, 23 Leonardo Marin