Enforced changes as Italy host Scots in World Cup warm-up

Italy coach Jacques Brunel on Thursday named Quintin Geldenhuys as captain in a much changed side, with respect to the last Six Nations campaign, to take on Scotland in a World Cup warm-up game in Turin on Saturday.

With habitual captain Sergio Parisse sidelined with  flu-like symptoms, second row forward Geldenhuys has been handed the captain's armband with Fiji-born Samuel Vunisa stepping into Parisse's No. 8 position.

Brunel has caused a minor surprise in the centres, with Tommaso Benvenuti handed his first start in two years to partner Gonzalo Garcia, while Tommaso Allan -- a former Scotland under-21 star -- taking the fly-half role and Guglielmo Palazzani coming in at scrum half to replace suspended Edoardo Gori.

Geldenhuys will be partnered in the second row by Zebre teammate Valerio Bernabo, who will be making his first Azzurri start in nearly two years.

Elsewhere, Brunel will send out an unprecedented first row trio of Lorenzo Cittadini, Matias Aguero and hooker Davide Giazzon, who will make his third start for Italy.

Veterans Martin Castrogiovanni, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Marco Bortolami and Mauro Bergamasco -- who have 398 caps between them -- all start on the bench, as will versatile full back Luke McLean.

Italy XV to face Scotland in a World Cup warm-up at Turin's Stadio Olimpico on Saturday (15-1):

Andrea Masi; Leonardo Sarto, Tommaso Benvenuti; Gonzalo Garcia, Giovambattista Venditti; Tommaso Allan, Guglielmo Palazzani; Samuela Vunisa, Alessandro Zanni, Francesco Minto; Valerio Bernabo, Quintin Geldenhuys; Lorenzo Cittadini, Davide Giazzon, Matias Aguero

Replacements: Leonardo Ghiraldini, Michele Rizzo, Martin Castrogiovanni, Marco Bortolami, Mauro Bergamasco, Marcello Violi, Carlo Canna, Luke McLean
Source: AFP