Zebre team announcement for first Italian derby

The back-to-back derbies will see the second leg next Saturday in Treviso. Zebre and Benetton never met before although many players know each other very well being team-mates in the Italian national team. 24 capped players capped into last November test match Italy's 30 list selected by head coach Brunel are into the rosters of the two Italian team of RaboDirect PRO12.

After being rested for last round of Heineken Cup in London Vs Harlequins, there are several players back into the 23 list for Zebre like Aguero, Bergamasco, Buso, Geldenhuys, Tebaldi and the samoan Sinoti, who recovered from the last little injury ready to add some speed to home side attack. Halangahu is forced to miss the game after a little injury occurred in last game at the Stoop against the Harlequins of last Saturday.

In the forwards the big news is the return of Italian internationals Geldenhuys and Bergamasco. Pairing the Italian-southafrican in the second row forwards is Sole, while captain Cattina and number 8 Van Shalkwyk complete the back row. Front row starting selection for experienced prop Perugini, hooker Festuccia - who knows well derbies after several city game spent in Paris - and young prop Fazzari, a former Treviso player at his first ever start with Zebre at his 7th appereance.

In the backs there will be an 100% Italian halves couple made by parmesan Tebaldi and Orquera, last year man of the match in the Italian derby win of Aironi Vs Treviso in Viadana with 9 penalties converted, still the record of the RaboDirect PRO12 competition so far. In the centres Treviso born Buso will pair with Pratichetti as Garcia is not available for the game. In the back triangle confirms at the wings for the young powerful couple Sarto-Venditti while Sinoti returns at full-back where he played so well in the first games of the season.

Here's Zebre line-up for Saturday game in Parma for the 11th round of RaboDirect PRO12. Kick off at the Stadio XXV Aprile at 3 pm local time:
15 Sinoti SINOTI
14 Giovanbattista VENDITTI*
13 Matteo PRATICHETTI
12 Paolo BUSO
11 Leonardo SARTO*
10 Luciano ORQUERA
9 Tito TEBALDI

8 Andries VAN SCHALKWYK
7 Mauro BERGAMASCO
6 Nicola CATTINA (cap)
5 Josh SOLE
4 Quintin GELDENHUYS
3 Carlo FAZZARI*
2 Carlo FESTUCCIA
1 Salvatore PERUGINI

Replacements :
16 Andrea MANICI*
17 Matias AGUERO
18 Luca REDOLFINI
19 Michael VAN VUREN
20 Filippo FERRARINI*
21 Alberto CHILLON*
22 Samuele PACE
23 Ruggero TREVISAN*

Coach: Christian GAJAN

* Former member of the Italian Rugby Union academy "Ivan Francescato" of Tirrenia.

Not available for selection through injury : Marco BORTOLAMI, Filippo CAZZOLA*, Daniel HALANGAHU*

Referee: Laurent Cardona (Fédération Française Rugby) at his second direction in the RaboDirect PRO12
Assistant Referees: Giuseppe Vivarini e Stefano Roscini (both Federazione Italiana Rugby)

TMO: Mauro Dordolo (Federazione Italiana Rugby)

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