Following the Italy Six Nations 2026 squad’s opening match victory over Scotland, head coach Gonzalo Quesada has – perhaps unsurprisingly – decided to stick with the vast majority of his winning side for Saturday’s trip to Dublin.
The only change to the starting XV comes in the backs, where Juan Ignacio Brex (who won his 50th cap last week) is left out for family reasons. Leonardo Marin, who played full-back last week, moves to inside centre, with Tommaso Menoncello shifting to outside centre. Lorenzo Pani, who was on the bench against Scotland, comes into the team at full-back.
Beyond those musical chairs in the backs, it’s the team that triumphed over Scotland in torrential rain in Rome. Louis Lynagh and Monty Ioane start on the wings, while Alessandro Fusco and Paolo Garbisi are scrum-half and fly-half, respectively.
Up front, Danilo Fischetti and Simone Ferrari are the props, Giacomo Nicotera is the hooker, and Niccolò Cannone and Andrea Zambonin pack down at lock. The back row features Manuel Zuliani, Lorenzo Cannone and captain Michele Lamaro.
Quesada has shifted to a 6-2 split on the bench. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Mirco Spagnolo, Muhamed Hasa, Federico Ruzza, Riccardo Favretto and Alessandro Garbisi keep their places from last week. David Odiase and Paolo Odogwu are the new additions to the bench.
Ireland v Italy kicks off at 2.10pm GMT on Saturday 14 February, with live coverage on ITV1 and ITVX in the UK, and Virgin Media One and Virgin Media Play in Ireland.
Italy Six Nations team v Ireland – round 2
15. Lorenzo Pani
14. Louis Lynagh
13. Tommaso Menoncello
12. Leonardo Marin
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Alessandro Fusco
1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Andrea Zambonin
6. Michele Lamaro (captain)
7. Manuel Zuliani
8. Lorenzo Cannone
Replacements:
16. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Muhamed Hasa
19. Federico Ruzza
20. Riccardo Favretto
21. David Odiase
22. Alessandro Garbisi
23. Paolo Odogwu
Italy Six Nations team v Scotland – round 1
15. Leonardo Marin
14. Louis Lynagh
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Alessandro Fusco
1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Andrea Zambonin
6. Michele Lamaro (captain)
7. Manuel Zuliani
8. Lorenzo Cannone
Replacements:
16. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Muhamed Hasa
19. Federico Ruzza
20. Riccardo Favretto
21. Alessandro Garbisi
22. Giacomo Da Re
23. Lorenzo Pani
Italy Six Nations squad: Quesada’s 33-man squad
Forwards (18): Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Zebre Parma), Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton Rugby), Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby), Pablo Dimcheff (Colomiers Rugby), Riccardo Favretto (Benetton Rugby), Simone Ferrari (Benetton Rugby), Danilo Fischetti (Northampton Saints), Muhamed Hasa (Zebre Parma), Alessandro Izekor (Benetton Rugby), Michele Lamaro (Benetton Rugby), Samuele Locatelli (Zebre Parma), Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Français), David Odiase (Zebre Parma), Marco Riccioni (Saracens), Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby), Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton Rugby), Andrea Zambonin (Exeter Chiefs), Manuel Zuliani (Benetton Rugby)
Backs (15): Juan Ignacio Brex (Benetton Rugby), Giacomo Da Re (Zebre Parma), Alessandro Fusco (Zebre Parma), Matt Gallagher (Benetton Rugby), Paolo Garbisi (Toulon), Monty Ioane (Lyon), Louis Lynagh (Benetton Rugby), Leonardo Marin (Benetton Rugby), Damiano Mazza (Zebre Parma), Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton Rugby), Paolo Odogwu (Benetton Rugby), Martin Page-Relo (Lyon), Lorenzo Pani (Zebre Parma), Edoardo Todaro (Northampton Saints), Stephen Varney (Exeter Chiefs)
Italy Six Nations squad: 2026 fixtures at a glance
- Sat 6 February, Italy v Scotland (kick-off 2.10pm GMT, Stadio Olimpico, Rome) Live on the BBC in the UK
- Sat 14 February, Ireland v Italy (kick-off 2.10pm GMT, Aviva Stadium, Dublin) Live on ITV in the UK
- Sun 22 February, France v Italy (kick-off 3.10pm GMT, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille) Live on ITV in the UK
- Sat 7 March, Italy v England (kick-off 4.40pm GMT, Stadio Olimpico, Rome) Live on ITV in the UK
- Sat 14 March, Wales v Italy (kick-off 4.40pm GMT, Principality Stadium, Cardiff) Live on the BBC in the UK
Italy Six Nations squad: Line-ups from every match in 2025
Round 1: v Scotland (Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh)
Result: Scotland 31-19 Italy
Starting XV:
15. Tommaso Allan
14. Ange Capuozzo
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Martin Page-Relo
1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Dino Lamb
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Michele Lamaro (captain)
8. Lorenzo Cannone
Replacements:
16. Gianmarco Lucchesi
17. Luca Rizzoli
18. Marco Riccioni
19. Niccolò Cannone
20. Manuel Zuliani
21. Ross Vintcent
22. Alessandro Garbisi
23. Simone Gesi
Round 2: v Wales (Stadio Olimpico, Rome)
Result: Italy 22-15 Wales
Starting XV:
15. Tommaso Allan
14. Ange Capuozzo
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Martin Page-Relo
1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Michele Lamaro (captain)
8. Lorenzo Cannone
Replacements:
16. Gianmarco Lucchesi
17. Luca Rizzoli
18. Marco Riccioni
19. Dino Lamb
20. Manuel Zuliani
21. Ross Vintcent
22. Alessandro Garbisi
23. Jacopo Trulla
Round 3: v France (Stadio Olimpico, Rome)
Result: Italy 24-73 France
Starting XV:
15. Tommaso Allan
14. Ange Capuozzo
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Simone Gesi
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Martin Page-Relo
1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Gianmarco Lucchesi
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Michele Lamaro (captain)
8. Lorenzo Cannone
Replacements:
16. Giacomo Nicotera
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Giosuè Zilocchi
19. Riccardo Favretto
20. Manuel Zuliani
21. Ross Vintcent
22. Alessandro Garbisi
23. Jacopo Trulla
Round 4: v England (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)
Result: England 47-24 Italy
Starting XV:
15. Ange Capuozzo
14. Monty Ioane
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Matt Gallagher
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Stephen Varney
1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Marco Riccioni
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Michele Lamaro (captain)
8. Ross Vintcent
Replacements:
16. Gianmarco Lucchesi
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Simone Ferrari
19. Riccardo Favretto
20. Manuel Zuliani
21. Lorenzo Cannone
22. Martin Page-Relo
23. Tomasso Allan
Round 5: v Ireland (Stadio Olimpico, Rome)
Result: Italy 17-22 Ireland
Starting XV:
15. Tomasso Allan
14. Ange Capuozzo
13. Juan Ignacio Brex (captain)
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Martin Page-Relo
1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Gianmarco Lucchesi
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Dino Lamb
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Manuel Zuliani
8. Lorenzo Cannone
Replacements:
16. Giacomo Nicotera
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Giosuè Zilocchi
19. Niccolò Cannone
20. Michele Lamaro
21. Ross Vintcent
22. Stephen Varney
23. Leonardo Marin
Download the digital edition of Rugby World straight to your tablet or subscribe to the print edition to get the magazine delivered to your door.