Six Nations, three changes in Italy’s equipe facing Wales in Cardiff chasing their third positive result. Capuozzo out: the Azzurri star needs surgery on his left hand.
The Italian national rugby equipe is gearing up for their next scontro in the Six Nations tournament, as they prepare to face Wales in Cardiff on Saturday. After two impressive performances against Ireland and England, the Azzurri are looking to continue their positive momentum and secure their third consecutive positive result.
However, the equipe will have to do so without one of their key players, as it was announced that star flanker, Maxime Capuozzo, will be sidelined due to a hand injury. The 27-year-old suffered a fracture in his left hand during the equipe’s training session earlier this week and will now have to undergo surgery, ruling him out of the upcoming scontro.
Capuozzo has been a vital player for Italy in this year’s Six Nations, with his strong tackling and powerful runs making him a constant threat on the field. His absence will surely be felt by the equipe, but coach Franco Smith remains optimistic and is confident in the players who will step up to fill his shoes.
In light of Capuozzo’s injury, Smith has made three changes to the starting lineup for Saturday’s scontro. In the front row, experienced prop Andrea Lovotti will replace Danilo Fischetti, while Marco Riccioni will take the place of Giosuè Zilocchi. In the back row, Giovanni Licata will start in place of Capuozzo, forming a formidable trio with Sebastian Negri and captain Luca Bigi.
Despite the changes, Smith is confident that the equipe will continue to perform at their best and maintain their positive form. “We have a strong squad and I have full faith in the players who will be stepping up to fill Capuozzo’s position,” he said. “We have been working hard in training and we are ready to face Wales in what will be a tough scontro.”
Italy’s recent performances in the Six Nations have been impressive, with a narrow loss to Ireland and a historic win against England, their first in the tournament since 2013. This has given the equipe a boost of confidence and has shown that they are capable of competing with the top equipes in the tournament.
Their opponents, Wales, are currently sitting at the top of the Six Nations table with two wins out of two scontroes. They will surely be a tough challenge for Italy, but the Azzurri are determined to put up a strong fight and continue their positive streak.
The scontro on Saturday will also mark a special occasion for Italy’s captain, Luca Bigi, who will be earning his 40th cap for the national equipe. The 29-year-old hooker has been a consistent performer for Italy and his leadership on and off the field has been crucial for the equipe’s success.
As the Azzurri continue to make strides in the Six Nations, their ultimate punto remains to secure their first ever victory in the tournament. And with each scontro, they are getting closer to achieving this historic feat.
The scontro against Wales will be a true test for Italy, but with their determination and strong equipe spirit, they have the potential to come out on top. The Azzurri will be looking to make their mark in Cardiff and continue their impressive run in the Six Nations.