Campagnaro gets nod for Italy

By Mark Stevens

Exeter Chiefs newcomer Michele Campagnaro has been named in Italy’s starting line-up for tomorrow’s Rugby World Cup warm-up clash against Scotland (3:15pm).

Campagnaro, who joined this summer from Pro12 side Benetton Treviso, starts the game at Murrayfield at outside centre alongside Luca Morisi in the Italian midfield.

The two sides met last weekend in Turin with Scotland ending a year wait for a victory when they triumphed 16-12 thanks to a late try from Henry Pyrgos.

The 22-year-old back has already been confirmed in the Azzurri’s World Cup squad, which will be in action at Sandy Park on Sunday, October 11 when they tackle Romania.

Scotland's big guns are back in the shape of Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell in the backline and David Denton, Jonny Gray and Ross Ford up front, whilst Italy will continue to keep skipper Sergio Parisse on ice in a bid to keep him fit for the World Cup. Scrum-half Edoardo Gori is serving the last week of a ban, so Guglielmo Palazzani deputises.

Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Sean Lamont, 13 Mark Bennett, 12 Peter Horne, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Greig Laidlaw, 8 David Denton, 7 John Barclay, 6 Ryan Wilson, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Jonny Gray, 3 WP Nel, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Alasdair Dickinson.

Replacements: 16 Stuart McInally, 17 Gordon Reid, 18 Jon Welsh, 19 Rob Harley, 20 Blair Cowan, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Ruaridh Jackson, 23 Matt Scott.

Italy: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Angelo Esposito, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Luca Morisi, 11 Leonardo Sarto, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 Guglielmo Palazzani, 8 Samuela Vunisa, 7 Francesco Minto, 6 Alessandro Zanni, 5 Joshua Furno, 4 Marco Fuser, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini (c), 1 Matias Aguero.

Replacements: 16 Andrea Manici, 17 Michele Rizzo, 18 Dario Chistolini, 19 Quintin Geldenhuys, 20 Mauro Bergamasco, 21 Marcello Violi, 22 Carlo Canna, 23 Andrea Masi.

Referee: Romain Poite (France)