7 November 2026
Italy has recalled wing Ange Capuozzo to face the Springboks in Turin on Saturday. Head coach Gonzalo Quesada selected the dangerous outside back to bolster an outfit missing 16 players through injury. Capuozzo has been sidelined from international rugby since injuring his shoulder against France in February.
The Azzurri front row is preparing for a massive set-piece battle against a heavy South African pack. Loosehead prop Muhamed Hasa acknowledged the size of the challenge ahead of his first Test against the world champions. "South Africa are arguably the best team in the world in that area," the Zebre front-rower stated at a media briefing.
Injuries have forced a complete overhaul of Italy’s midfield combinations. With first-choice centres Juan Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello ruled out, Leonardo Marin and Paolo Odogwu will start in midfield. They line up outside the half-back pairing of Alessandro Fusco and playmaker Paolo Garbisi.
Milestones add experience to an otherwise heavily disrupted Italian backline. Lyon winger Monty Ioane is set to earn his 50th Test cap on the left wing. Mirko Belloni rounds out the back three, slotting in at fullback.
Uncapped flanker Samuele Locatelli will make his Test debut on the openside flank. He joins Alessandro Ortombina and Lorenzo Cannone in a reshuffled loose trio. Hooker Giacomo Nicotera captains the team for only the second time in his career.
Prop Simone Ferrari and replacement flyhalf Tommaso Allan provide historic context to the matchday 23. They are the only survivors from the Italian side that famously upset South Africa 20-18 in Florence ten years ago. Quesada has gone with a traditional five-three split on the bench.
Hasa views the injury crisis as a chance for squad members to prove themselves. He said that disciplined scrum binding will be vital against South Africa.
Italy: 15 Mirko Belloni, 14 Ange Capuozzo, 13 Paolo Odogwu, 12 Leonardo Marin, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Alessandro Fusco, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Samuele Locatelli, 6 Alessandro Ortombina, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Giacomo Nicotera (c), 1 Muhamed Hasa. Replacements: 16 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, 17 Danilo Fischetti, 18 Ion Neculai, 19 Enoch Opoku Gyamfi, 20 Ross Vintcent, 21 Manuel Zuliani, 22 Stephen Varney, 23 Tommaso Allan.