Benetton Rugby Team Announcement

Friday night at 20:00, live on Nuvolari and with the Irish referee David Wilkinson, Connacht are the opponents, one of the surprises of the start of this season.

Umberto Casellato opts for some changes and forced choices, finding, however, also long absent players.

Michele Campagnaro moves again to the wing, with Luca Morisi to outside centre and Enrico Bacchin starts at inside centre.

Sam Christie takes the number 10 shirt and will be paired in the half backs with Edoardo Gori.

In the scrum, Matteo Zanusso returns from the team in place of the injured Matteo Muccignat, with Albert Anae who debuts on the bench. Corniel Van Zyl starts in the second row in place of captain Antonio Pavanello.

The most important change, however, is in the back row where, after knee surgery and a ruptured eardrum, Italian international Alessandro Zanni returns.

On the bench are Tomas Vallejos Cinalli and Simone Ragusi, fresh from their call up for the November Internationals.

Starting line-up:

15 Jayden Hayward
14 Ludovico Nitoglia
13 Luca Morisi
12 Enrico Bacchin
11 Michele Campagnaro
10 Sam Christie
9 Edoardo Gori

8 Mat Luamanu
7 Alessandro Zanni
6 Simone Favaro
5 Corniel Van Zyl (captain)
4 Marco Fuser
3 Rupert Harden
2 Davide Giazzon
1 Matteo Zanusso

Replacements:

16 Amar Kudin
17 Albert Anae
18 Romulo Acosta
19 Antonio Pavanello
20 Tomas Vallejos Cinalli
21 Francesco Minto
22 Simone Ragusi
23 Alberto Lucchese

Head Coach: Umberto Casellato.