Skip to main content
  • E-mail
  • Save
  • Print

Italy captain misses Scots showdown

  • Story Highlights
  • Injured Italy skipper Marco Bortolami misses final Pool C clash with Scotland
  • Gloucester lock is replaced by Santiago Dellape as one of seven changes
  • Fiji make 11 changes for Pool B showdown with Wales in Nantes on Saturday
  • Next Article in World Sport »
Decrease font Decrease font
Enlarge font Enlarge font

ST ETIENNE, France -- Italy will be without skipper Marco Bortolami for the must-win Rugby World Cup Pool C finale against Scotland in St Etienne on Saturday.

art.bortolami.gi.jpg

Marco Bortolami in action for Italy against Romania during his side's 24-18 victory.

The second-row forward has failed to recover from the hamstring and neck problems which have prevented him from training this week.

Bortolami, who plays for English club Gloucester, will be replaced by fit-again lock Santiago Dellape for the match, which will decide who qualifies for the quarterfinals as runners-up behind New Zealand.

Veteran scrum-half Alessandro Troncon will take over the captain's armband for the Azzurri, who have won two out of three matches so far but trail the Scots -- who have won two bonus points. Italy, by contrast, failed to get bonuses against Romania and Portugal.

Coach Pierre Berbizier has made seven changes to the team that struggled to beat the part-time Portuguese 31-5 last week.

Also in the forwards, prop Salvatore Perugini, hooker Carlo Festuccia and flanker Josh Sole are recalled in place of Andrea Lo Cicero, Leonardo Ghiraldini and Manoa Vosawai.

Sergio Parisse reverts to his usual position of No, 8 and is joined in the back row of the scrum by Sole on the openside.

Ramiro Pez takes over from Roland de Marigny at fly-half, while winger Kaine Robertson and center Mirco Bergamasco also return.

Bergamasco will partner Gonzalo Canale in midfield, while Andrea Masi switches to the wing as a replacement for Matteo Pratichetti.

Italy team: D Bortolussi; K Robertson, G Canale, Mirco Bergamasco, A Masi; R Pez, A Troncon (capt); S Perugini, C Festuccia, M Castrogiovanni, S Dellape, C Del Fava, J Sole, Mauro Bergamasco, S Parisse.
Replacements: F Ongaro, A Lo Cicero, V Bernabo, L Ghiraldini, P Griffen, R de Marigny, E Galon.

Meanwhile, Fiji coach Ilie Tabua has made 11 changes for his side's Pool B showdown with Wales in Nantes on Saturday.

The Pacific Islanders return to full strength following the 55-12 defeat by group winners Australia, with captain Mosese Rauluni returning at scrum-half.

Former Biarritz winger Sireli Bobo is on the bench after being called up earlier this week as an injury replacement.

Fiji are level with Wales on 10 points in second place, so the winner is guaranteed a quarterfinal berth.

Fiji team: K Ratuvou; V Delasau, S Rabeni, S Bai, I Neivua; N Little, M Rauluni (capt); G Dewes, S Koto, J Railomo, K Leawere, I Rawaqa, S Naevo, A Qera, S Koyamaibole.
Replacements: V Sauturaga, H Qiodravu, W Lewaravu, A Ratuva, J Daunivucu, N Ligairi, S Bobo.

Australia have had to make a late changes ahead of their final Pool B match against Canada in Bordeaux on Saturday.

Center Scott Staniforth has been ruled out with a shoulder injury, so Chris Latham comes in at fullback and Lote Tukiri switches from wing to the midfield.

Drew Mitchell moves from right to left wing, Cameron Shepherd will play on the right and Matt Giteau comes in as a replacement back.

Canada coach Ric Suggitt has made eight changes, two of them positional, for his team's final match.

Australia: C Latham; C Shepherd, L Tuqiri, A Ashley-Cooper, D Mitchell; J Huxley, S Cordingley; D Lyons, G Smith (capt), H McMeniman, M Chisholm, N Sharpe, A Baxter, A Freier, G Holmes.
Replacements: S Hardman, G Shepherdson, R Elsom, P Waugh, S Hoiles, G Gregan, M Giteau.

Canada: D Van der Merwe; J Mensah-Coker, M Pyke, D Daypuck, J Pritchard; A Monro, M Williams (capt); S-M Stephen, D Biddle, C Yukes; M James, L Tait; J Thiel, P Riordan, R Snow.
Replacements: A Carpenter, D Pletch, M Pletch, M Burak, M Webb, E Fairhurst, D Spicer. E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

  • E-mail
  • Save
  • Print