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Volkswacht Bodensee - Italy name two debutants to face Japan in Nations Championship opener

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Italy name two debutants to face Japan in Nations Championship opener
Italy name two debutants to face Japan in Nations Championship opener / Photo: © AFP

Italy name two debutants to face Japan in Nations Championship opener

SPORTS 02.07.2026

Italy on Thursday named debutants Alessandro Ortombina and Malik Faissal to start against Japan in their Nations Championship opener in Tokyo as they look to build on their Six Nations success.

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The Italians finished fourth in the Six Nations to match their best result since joining the competition in 2000, and also beat England for the first time.

Head coach Gonzalo Quesada has brought new blood into the squad for the inaugural Nations Championship and he has turned to flanker Ortombina and winger Faissal to face Japan.

Quesada said the Zebre Parma pair "absolutely deserve it", as he looks to unearth new talent ahead of next year's World Cup in Australia.

"I cannot play with 15, 20 players every game from last year to the World Cup because if something happens in the last few games, you find yourself really struggling having to make players start their career during a World Cup," said the Argentine coach.

"We need to arrive next year with several options per position."

There is experience elsewhere in the team, with Juan Ignacio Brex partnering Tommaso Menoncello in the centres and fly-half Paolo Garbisi alongside scrum-half Stephen Varney.

Flanker Michele Lamaro captains the team as he wins his 55th cap.

Italy face Japan on Saturday before travelling to Wellington to play New Zealand and Perth to take on Australia on successive weekends.

"We know that we have to start playing the best rugby we can and not waste time and miss opportunities," said Quesada.

"Just go to the basics and do well."

Italy stunned England 23-18 in Rome in March for their first win in the fixture.

They also beat Scotland but lost to Wales in their final game of the Six Nations to miss out on the chance of a best-ever third-place finish.

Italy (15-1):

Lorenzo Pani; Malik Faissal, Juan Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Monty Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Lorenzo Cannone, Michele Lamaro (capt), Alessandro Ortombina; Andrea Zambonin, Niccolo Cannone; Marco Riccioni, Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Danilo Fischetti

Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Mirco Spagnolo, Muhamed Hasa, Riccardo Favretto, Ross Vintcent, Alessandro Fusco, Leonardo Marin, Tommaso Allan

G.Haefliger--VB

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