Former KZN schoolboy Negri returns to boost Italy

Italy have been boosted for the second test against the Springboks at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium by the return from injury of the experienced flanker Sebastian Negri.

The Zimbabwean-born Negri missed out on the first test, which resulted in a 42-18 defeat for the visitors, by injury.

However he has been back in training this week and the Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada had little hesitation in including him among five changes from the team that played at Loftus.

It would have been a no-brainer for Quesada once Negri was pronounced fit as he is the second most capped international player in the squad behind tighthead prop Simone Ferrari.

The front row forward boasts 65 caps to Negri’s 64.

What would also have tipped the scales in Negri’s favour are his strong Southern African roots.

After he left Zimbabwe with his family, he was schooled at Clifton Preparatory School in Durban before taking up a sports scholarship at Hilton College.

He will be eager to impress in this rare opportunity to play international rugby in a country where he has strong roots.

Of course, as a member of the Benetton team, he will not be unfamiliar with playing here as a senior first-class player, although the match venue for Saturday, which is not home to any of the South African URC franchises, is not one that he would have played at recently if at all.

While Negri brings experience, Quesada has gone to the opposite extreme when it comes to his selection at fullback, with rookie Mirko Belloni coming in to allow the man who played in the last line of defence last week, Jacopo Trulla, to switch to the left wing.

Quesada had a good run when it came to new players last week and he will hope something similar happens with Belloni.

Trulla replaces Simone Gesi on the wing as the Italy back three receives a shake up.

Louis Lynagh, son of former Wallaby star and captain Michael, is on the other wing.

Another player with South African roots, Ross Vintcent, who was schooled in Johannesburg and educated in Cape Town, comes in at No 8 in place of Lorenzo Cannone, who has been ruled out of the game with a back injury.

Negri replaces Alessandro Izekor on the flank, with Izekor moving to the bench.

ITALY TEAM: Mirko Belloni, Louis Lynagh, Tommaso Menoncello, Marco Zanon, Jacopo Trulla, Giacomo Da Re, Alessandro Garbisi, Ross Vintcent, Manuel Zuliani, Sebastian Negri, Andrea Zambonin, Niccolo Cannone, Simone Ferrari, Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Danilo Fischetti.

REPLACEMENTS: Pablo Dimcheff, Mirco Spagnolo, Muhamed Hasa, Matteo Canali, Alessandro Izekor, David Odiase, Stephen Varney, Giulio Bertaccini.