Italy keep faith with same 15

Italy have named an unchanged team for Saturday's RBS Six Nations clash with Ireland at Rome's Stadio Flaminio.

The Azzurri are anxious to build on the momentum gained by their victory over Wales last weekend . Scrum-half Alessandro Troncon is once again named as captain.

That 30-22 win against the Welsh last Saturday in Rome has ignited rugby interest in a country used to seeing their side take home the wooden spoon every season. Having finally found a seemingly successful formula under coach John Kirwan, the Italians are sticking with the same side.

Italy: 15 Paolo Vaccari, 14 Mauro Bergamasco, 13 Cristian Stoica, 12 Giovanni Raineri, 11 Denis Dallan, 10 Diego Dominguez, 9 Alessandro Troncon (captain), 8 Matthew Phillips, 7 Aaron Persico, 6 Andrea De Rossi, 5 Marco Bortolami, 4 Cristian Bezzi, 3 Ramiro Martinez, 2 Carlo Festuccia, 1 Giampiero De Carli.

Replacements: 16 Andrea Moretti, 17 Leandro Castrogiovanni, 18 Mark Giacheri, 19 Scott Palmer, 20 Juan Manuel Quierolo, 21 Ramiro Pez, 22 Mirko Bergamasco.