Italy beef up pack for Bok clash

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Italy head coach Kieran Crowley has made two changes to the Azzurri front row that will face the world champion Springboks in Genoa on Saturday.

The Kiwi said he was expecting a physical onslaught from the Boks, so has called on Brive prop Pietro Ceccarelli and Benetton hooker Giacomo Nicotera in an attempt to combat the revered Bok scrum.

Meanwhile, last week’s two-try hero Ange Capuozzo is fit to play following an injury scare.

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The Italians are on a three-match win-streak, their first win against Australia last week preceded by victories over Samoa and Wales.

“We achieved a historic result against Australia, but we are not satisfied,” Crowley said. “The following day the focus was immediately shifted to South Africa. It will be a very intense match from a physical point of view.

“We have studied our opponents and prepared our engagement in the best possible way. We continue on this path proving to be competitive in every game.”

BOK TEAM: Boks muscle up for Italy battle

Italy – 15 Ange Capuozzo, 14 Pierre Bruno, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Luca Morisi, 11 Montanna Ioane, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 Stephen Varney, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (c), 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 3 Pietro Ceccarelli, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Danilo Fischetti.
Subs: 16 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17 Ivan Nemer, 18 Simone Ferrari, 19 David Sisi, 20 Manuel Zuliani, 21 Alessandro Garbisi, 22 Edoardo Padovani, 23 Tommaso Menoncello.

Photo: Emmanuele Ciancaglini/Ciancaphoto Studio/Getty Images

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Devin Hermanus