Gonzalo Quesada chose Italrugby for Samoa

Samoa-Italy, Quesada’s words

Italy’s lineup to face Samoa in the first of three Test Matches of the 2024 Summer Tour has been announced. The match – scheduled in Apia at 5 p.m. local time (6 a.m. Italian time) on Friday, July 5 – will be broadcast live on Sky Sport Uno and streamed on NOW.

“This for me è a group that is coming together more and more– – said Gonzalo Quesada – and must continue to strengthen of’team identity, character and confidence in what we do. Against Wales, the last game we played, I think we were solid in all phases of the game for a good part of the match: è this is the path we want to take. This will be a different context than the Six Nations and the strategy will be adjusted, it won’t be all the same. Now it will beà interesting to see how the team adapts to everything to try then to win”.

“Samoa è a team that I think will be very excited to have the opportunity’to play at home against a European team. We will face a formation that will show a huge level of aggressiveness and physicality on the field, especially in the first part of the match. We have prepared for this. During the Rugby World Cup 2023 è they were the team that carried the ball forward the most times, they è ranked in the Top 3 for off-loads. If they find space they become dangerous. We will have to be good in the early stages to manage this and slowly get into the match that we want to set up respecting the game plan we have prepared. The key for us will be to try to have an “orderly”” game, trying to put pressure both on defense and in the winning”.

“In this first phase of the gathering we analyzed everything that worked but especially everything we can improve. I never talk about “duty” but we want to do better. We have set clear goals internally and we want to put one stone on’the other to continue building our identity. We don’t talk to each other if it’s cold, if it’s hot, if it’s raining or sunny: we’re here to work and stay focused on that, no alibis. We prepare this game in the best possible way with the desire to take the field. For us it will be a game away from home, in the final part of the season in a different context from the Six Nations, on a beautiful island against a team that will be pushed by their fans. I can’t wait to see our players on the field” stressed Quesada.

This is the lineup that will take the field:

15 Matt GALLAGHER (Benetton Rugby, rookie)
14 Louis LYNAGH (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)
13 Juan Ignacio BREX (Benetton Rugby, 35 caps)
12 Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, 17 caps)
11 Monty IOANE (Lyon Olimpique, 30 caps)
10 Paolo GARBISI (Toulon RC, 36 caps)
9 Stephen VARNEY (Gloucester Rugby, 29 caps)
8 Ross VINTCENT (Exeter Chiefs, 4 caps)
7 Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 38 caps) – captain
6 Alessandro IZEKOR (Benetton Rugby, 2 caps)
5 Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 54 caps)
4 Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 41 caps)
3 Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 53 caps)
2 Gianmarco LUCCHESI (Benetton Rugby, 22 caps)
1 Danilo FISCHETTI (Zebre Parma, 41 caps)

Available
16 Loris ZARANTONELLO (Castres, rookie)
17 Mirco SPAGNOLO (Benetton Rugby, 5 caps)
18 Giosuè ZILOCCHI (Benetton Rugby, 21 caps)
19 Edoardo IACHIZZI (Benetton Rugby, 6 caps)
20 Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 21 caps)
21 Lorenzo CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 19 caps)
22 Martin PAGE-RELO (Lyon Olimpique, 8 caps)
23 Leonardo MARIN (Benetton Rugby, 9 caps)