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Got plans for Saturday lunchtime? Cancel them. At 12:10 CEST (6:10pm in Perth) Italy close out their summer tour against Australia in round three of the Nations Championship, live on Sky Sport Uno and TV8. This is no ordinary Test: the Azzurri have never won on Australian soil, the Wallabies are saying goodbye to Joe Schmidt in his final game in charge, and for once Italy take the field without their head coach — the suspended Gonzalo Quesada will watch from the team hotel while German Fernandez runs the show alone.
Two teams that cannot afford to lose
The table says it all. Italy sit on zero points after the 27-10 defeat to Japan and the 47-17 loss to the All Blacks — a scoreline that hid 40 minutes of outstanding rugby. Australia are hardly better off: edged 33-31 by Ireland in Sydney, then overrun 42-26 by France in Brisbane, a sixth straight defeat, with nothing but bonus points to show for it, as DanPat points out. In short: on Saturday, nobody can afford to lose.
There is more. This is the final match of the Joe Schmidt era before Les Kiss takes over. And the Wallabies have a score to settle: Italy have won the last two meetings, in Udine and Florence.
An Azzurri revolution: nine changes
More than half the side changes from Wellington: nine switches, some by choice, some forced. The front row is brand new, with Muhamed Hasa shifting to loosehead, Lucchesi at hooker and Riccioni on the tighthead side. In the second row, alongside the experience of Ruzza, Giulio Marini earns his first start after debuting against the All Blacks. The back row reads Favretto at 6, captain Lamaro at 7 and Vintcent at No. 8.
The biggest storyline is at half-back: the Garbisi brothers start together, Alessandro at 9 and Paolo at 10. Midfield sees a first-ever pairing of Odogwu and Brex, with Tommaso Menoncello left out of the 23. On the wings, Ioane and Lynagh — the two men who scored the tries in November’s 26-19 win in Udine — while Lorenzo Pani returns at full-back for his first outing since going off injured in the 13th minute against Japan. In DanPat’s view he is the most complete 15 in the squad, with the best boot in the group: a player worth investing in.
The treatment room is busy: Tommy Allan (fractured rib cartilage) and Lorenzo Cannone (fractured metatarsal) have flown home, and Niccolò Cannone is suspended. Neculai, Fusco and Da Re return among the replacements, with Marin covering everything from 10 to 15 as the No. 23.
Why isn’t Quesada in the coaching box?
The head coach was banned for two matches by World Rugby over his comments on the officiating after New Zealand v Italy — the first case under the new sanctioning process. He cannot enter the stadium or take part in any match-day activity, and will also miss Italy v South Africa in November. In Perth, assistant coach German Fernandez takes charge.
The Wallabies: Schmidt’s farewell
Schmidt makes three changes from the France defeat: Paenga-Amosa comes in at hooker, Harry Potter starts on the wing, and Carlo Tizzano — the Italian-Australian flanker born right here in Perth — gets the start in front of his home crowd, with the in-form Fraser McReight dropping to the bench. Declan Meredith, winning just his second cap, wears the 10 shirt, while the Ikitau-Suaalii centre pairing remains a serious threat. Harry Wilson captains the side from No. 8. Off the bench, Miles Amatosero could become Wallaby No. 998 on debut.
Keys to the match
The first battleground is the breakdown: the Wallabies steal a lot of ball, Tizzano above all, so Italy’s support play must be fast and accurate. With specialists like Zuliani and Lorenzo Cannone missing, the poaching duties fall to Lucchesi and Lamaro. The second key is game management: start fast, sustain the level shown for 40 minutes against the All Blacks in the scrum and in discipline, then hand the final twenty minutes to a bench built to make an impact — though Australia’s own reserves, from Pollard to McReight to Daugunu, are just as dangerous.
Confidence yes, plenty of curiosity — but no illusions: let’s tread carefully.
The 23rd meeting between the two sides comes at the perfect time: Italy haven’t played in Australia since 2017 (a 40-27 defeat in Brisbane) and have never won there. Whatever happens, an era ends in Perth for the Wallabies. For Italy, it is one last chance to give this tour a result to remember.
Read more
- Quesada banned for two matches: no Australia, no South Africa
- A great first half is not enough: All Blacks win 47-17
- DanPat Rugby — Home
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