Burton in, but Bergamasco out for Italy

ITALY coach Nick Mallett has handed Benetton Treviso’s Kristopher Burton the number 10 shirt for tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland at Rome’s Flaminio Stadium.

The Australia-born fly-half replaces Craig Gower, who is out for the entire tournament with a knee injury, while Burton’s club-mate Alessandro Zanni will replace Mauro Bergamasco at number seven.

Bergamasco is out of the Six Nations having suffered a shoulder injury back in November. Mallett has also handed Benetton Treviso scrum-half Edoardo Gori a place in his starting XV. The 20-year-old made a big impression against Fiji in Italy’s final Test of last year, which the Azzurri won 24-16.

Italy will be bolstered by the return of captain Sergio Parisse, who missed last year’s Six Nations with a knee injury.