Bortolami to skipper Italians
Italy coach Jacques Brunel has left skipper Sergio Parisse out of the squad in the hope he will recover from a thigh injury in time to face England in Rome on March 15.
Benetton Treviso’s Robert Barbieri will take Parisse’s place at number eight.
Bortolami, a former Italy captain, is alongside Paul Derbyshire and Luciano Orquera in a trio of players that Azzurri coach Brunel has promoted to the starting side having all been benched against Scotland.
Derbyshire replaces injured flanker Alessandro Zanni, who sustained a knee injury in Italy’s 21-20 loss to Scotland in Rome two weeks ago.
Tito Tebaldi returns to the Italy fold for the first time since June 2012 and will start at scrum-half.
Prop Michele Rizzo is also included among the replacements after serving a three-week suspension for head-butting an opponent.
Flanker Manoa Vosawai and centre Andrea Masi also make the cut.
The Azzurri have not beaten Ireland in Dublin since a 37-29 victory in January 1997.
