France Under-20s head coach Phillipe Boher has made wholesale changes to his starting XV to play an Italy team riding high on Friday as he looks to create greater depth within his squad.
Following their 29-24 defeat to England on the opening weekend, the reigning World Rugby Under-20 champions will seek an immediate bounce back when they host the Azzurrini.
“These changes are the consequence of our desire to see the different players who make up our group to evolve during the five games of this Six Nations tournament, to better develop our project until the next World Championship,†said Boher.
La composition de vos Bleuets !
Voici les 23 joueurs de #FranceU20 qui affronteront l’Italie au Stade Maurice-David d’Aix-en-Provence vendredi à 21h !
Venez les supporter, ils comptent sur vous !
https://t.co/0qrTdOiO5J#NefaisonsXV pic.twitter.com/l9P9TxoWuv
— France Rugby (@FranceRugby) February 5, 2020
Captain Jordan Joseph is one of five players to retain his spot in the starting line-up alongside Adrien Warion, Nolann Le Garrec, Yoram Moefana and Cheikh Tiberghien.
Bayonne fly-half Thomas Dolhagaray is one of many players given a chance from the off and will slot in at fly-half for Les Bleuets.
After sealing a brilliant 17-7 victory in Wales last weekend, Italy head coach Fabio Roselli has stuck with a similar side with Ion Neculai replacing Filippo Alongi in the front row the only change.
#ItaliaU20
Testa e cuore, verso#SeiNazioniU20 #insieme #rugbypassioneitaliana pic.twitter.com/MtrwEYxFWC
— Italrugby (@Federugby) February 6, 2020
Captain Paolo Garbisi kicked 12 points from the tee in Colwyn Bay in Round One and will once again look to take charge at fly-half in Aix-en-Provence on Friday night, while try-scorer Matteo Drudi is also included in the XV.
France Under-20s: 15 Cheik Tiberghien, 14. Erwan Dridi, 13. Theo Costosseque, 12. Yoram Moefana, 11. Nathan Farissier, 10. Thomas Dolhagaray, 9. Nolann Le Garrec, 1. Andy Bordelai, 2. Guillaume Cramont, 3. Aselo Ikahehegi, 4. Gauthier Maravat, 5. Adrien Warion, 6. Grégoire Bazin, 7. Matteo Le Corvec, 8 Jordan Joseph (c)
Replacements: 16. Loris Zarantonello, 17. Sacha Lotrian, 18. Régis Montagne, 19. Fabien Witz, 20. Mickael Guillard, 21. Kevin Viallard, 22. Thibault Debaes, 23. Ethan Dumortier
Italy Under-20s: 15. Jacopo Trulla, 14. Christian Lai, 13. Federico Mori, 12. Giulio Bertaccini, 11. Michel Mba, 10. Paolo Garbisi (c), 9. Stephen Varney, 1. Matteo Drudi, 2. Gianmarco Lucchesi, 3. Ion Neculai, 4. Riccardo Favretto, 5. Andrea Zambonin, 6. Angelo Maurizi, 7. Manuel Zuliani, 8. Lorenzo Cannone
Replacements: 16. Matteo Baldelli, 17. Lorenzo Michelini, 18. Muhamed Hasa, 19. Nathanel Panozzo, 20. Luca Andreani, 21. Manfredi Albanese, 22. Mattia Ferrarin, 23. Luca Borin
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Source: 6 Nations