Italy stick with winning team

Tito Tebaldi © Gallo Images

Italy coach Nick Mallett has kept faith with the players who notched a rare Six Nations win last month for Sunday's match against France in Paris.

Prop Martin Castrogiovanni has shaken off a muscle strain and winger Andrea Masi also kept his place in the side named on Friday despite suffering from a stiff neck.

Scrumhalf Pablo Canavosio was named on the bench again despite scoring the match-winning try in the 16-12 win over Scotland.

The Azzurri also had the same starting lineup when they pushed England hard in a 17-12 defeat after losing their opener 29-11 in Ireland.

Mallett's men are seeking their first win over France in the competition to scupper their opponents' bid to win the grand slam.

"It's natural to expect France to play an expansive game. They have a very lively style," centre Gonzalo Canale told Reuters.

"It's up to us to try and stop them playing this game. We must put up a great defence so we can then exploit the possession we get to attack."

Italy approach the match with morale boosted by having averted another whitewash and the knowledge that expectations of them are low.

"We are always under pressure," Canale said. "Even if we won last time against Scotland we cannot go to France thinking that the Six Nations is over for us. We are going to France to play a great match. "Naturally France are under a different type of pressure. They are aiming for the grand slam, they cannot lose a match."

Italy team: 15-Luke McLean, 14-Andrea Masi, 13-Gonzalo Canale, 12-Gonzalo Garcia, 11-Mirco Bergamasco, 10-Craig Gower, 9-Tito Tebaldi, 8-Alessandro Zanni, 7-Mauro Bergamasco, 6-Josh Sole, 5- Marco Bortolami, 4-Quintin Geldenhuys, 3-Martin Castrogiovanni, 2-Leonardo Ghiraldini (captain) 1-Salvatore Perugini.

Replacements: 16-Fabio Ongaro, 17-Matias Aguero, 18-Carlo Antonio Del Fava, 19-Paul Derbyshire, 20-Pablo Canavosio, 21-Riccardo Bocchino, 22-Kaine Robertson.

Read more on the Six Nations page.

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© Reuters