Le Cicero out of Italy line-up

Italy coach Pierre Berbizier has dropped Andrea Lo Cicero in favour of Fabio Ongaro in his team for the RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland.

Lo Cicero is a vastly-experienced prop with 49 caps but has been named as one of the replacements at Lansdowne Road on Saturday when Ongaro will play alongside Carlos Nieto in the front row.

Another surprise will see Montpellier’s Cristian Stoica play at fly-half instead of his usual role at centre.

Team: Cristian Stoica (Montpellier); Pablo Canavosio (Ghial Calvisano), Gonzalo Canale (Clermont-Auvergne), Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Ludovico Nitoglia (Ghial Calvisano); Ramiro Pez (Perpignan), Paul Griffen; Salvatore Perugini (both Ghial Calvisano), Fabio Ongaro (Benetton Treviso), Carlos Nieto (Arix Viadana), Santiago Dellape (Agen), Marco Bortolami (Narbonne, captain), Josh Sole (Arix Viadana), Mauro Bergamasco, Sergio Parisse (both Stade Francais).

Replacements: Carlo Antonio Festuccia (SKG Gran Parma), Andrea Lo Cicero (Conad L’Aquila), Martin Castrogiovanni (Ghial Calvisano), Carlos Del Fava (Bourgoin), Aaron Persico (Agen), Simon Picone (Benetton Treviso), Rima Wakarua (SKG Gran Parma).