Ange Capuozzo has reverted to fullback as Italy named a shuffled backline for their crucial Pool A clash against hosts France in Lyon on Friday.
Kieran Crowley has made five personnel changes and three positional switches to his starting XV from the team that lost 96-17 to the All Blacks.
Simone Ferrari, Epalahame Faiva and Pietro Ceccarelli form an all-new front row, while Niccolò Cannone returns to the second row to partner Federico Ruzza.
Pierre Bruno starts on the right wing for the first time at the 2023 World Cup after playing 33 minutes off the bench against Namibia.
However, the headline change sees three positional switches among Italy’s key playmakers.
Tommaso Allan moves back to flyhalf after starting at fullback last week, Paolo Garbisi returns to inside centre after wearing the number 10 jersey against the All Blacks, and Capuozzo moves to fullback after playing three of his past four tests on the right wing.
Allan has not missed a shot at goal at the 2023 World Cup, kicking all 15 attempts. He is their only survivor from the last time they played France at a World Cup, in 2015.
If used off the bench, hooker Marco Manfredi will make his World Cup debut. He has played only 32 minutes of test rugby combined since making his international debut against Scotland in the 2023 Six Nations.
Italy – 15 Ange Capuozzo, 14 Pierre Bruno, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Paolo Garbisi, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 Stephen Varney, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (c), 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 3 Pietro Ceccarelli, 2 Hame Faiva, 1 Simone Ferrari.
Subs: 16 Marco Manfredi, 17 Federico Zani, 18 Marco Riccioni, 19 David Sisi, 20 Manuel Zuliani, 21 Alessandro Fusco, 22 Luca Morisi, 23 Lorenzo Pani.
Photo: Photo: GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP