Smith can rely on Luca Morisi, Manoa Vosawai and Alberto De Marchi, but is also forced to line up Giovanni Maistri in a temporary role and adds two permit players among the replacements.
These are Petrarca Padova's flanker Enrico Targa, and Cammi Calvisano's back Andrew Vilk, a well known former Benetton player.
There are many new entries in the starting XV.
After having been on the bench as permit player in last season's RaboDirect PRO12, Marco Fuser is making his debut as lock together with Corniel Van Zyl; Angelo Esposito as well is at his first start and is playing left winger together with Andrew Vilk, who is playing right winger.
This is why Christian Loamanu is playing at centre together with Andrea Pratichetti, while Brendan Williams is playing as fullback.
Half-backs of the day will be Fabio Semenzato and Alberto Di Bernardo, who has recovered from the injury suffered before the trip to Swansea during the first Heineken Cup match against the Ospreys.
As for the forwards, Valerio Bernabò is playing flanker with Manoa Vosawai and Marco Filippucci at No. 8.
In the front row, Matteo Muccignat is making his debut, Bees Roux is playing again as first string tight-head prop, and Franco Sbaraglini as hooker.
Starting line-up:
15 Brendan Williams
14 Andrew Vilk
13 Christian Loamanu
12 Andrea Pratichetti
11 Angelo Esposito
10 Alberto Di Bernardo
9 Fabio Semenzato
8 Marco Filippucci
7 Valerio Bernabò
6 Manoa Vosawai
5 Corniel Van Zyl (captain)
4 Marco Fuser
3 Jacobus Roux
2 Franco Sbaraglini
1 Matteo Muccignat
Replacements:
16 Enrico Ceccato
17 Alberto De Marchi
18 Ignacio Fernandez-Rouyet
19 Giovanni Maistri
20 Enrico Targa
21 Giulio Toniolatti
22 James Ambrosini
23 Luca Morisi
Head Coach: Franco Smith.
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