Allan in for Italy, Wales make six changes

Harlequins fly-half Tommy Allan will start at full-back for Italy in Saturday's Guinness Six Nations clash against Wales.

Allan, who filled the fly-half role against France and England, replaces Ange Capuozzo.

Capuozzo memorably created Italy’s winning try in Cardiff last season, but he is sidelined by a shoulder injury that has meant Azzurri head coach Kieran Crowley makes one enforced change.

It is otherwise the same team that pushed Six Nations leaders and title favourites Ireland close last time out.

Italy are chasing a first Six Nations win in Rome since 2013, but they will fancy their chances against a Wales side reeling from successive losses to Ireland, Scotland and England.

Meanwhile, Warren Gatland has made six changes to the Wales starting line-up.

Wing Louis Rees-Zammit, full-back Leigh Halfpenny, lock Alun Wyn Jones and flanker Christ Tshiunza are among those omitted following the 20-10 loss to England last time out.

Ospreys scrum-half Rhys Webb will make a first Test start since October 2020, replacing Tomos Williams, while Rio Dyer is preferred to Rees-Zammit and Liam Williams returns in the number 15 shirt.

Elsewhere, prop Wyn Jones, lock Dafydd Jenkins and flanker Jac Morgan also feature but there is no place in the matchday 23 for fly-half Dan Biggar.

Italy: Tommaso Allan; Edoardo Padovani, Juan Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Pierre Bruno; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Simone Ferrari; Niccolo Cannone, Federico Ruzza; Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro, Lorenzo Cannone.

Replacements: Luca Bigi, Federico Zani, Marco Riccioni, Edoardo Iachizzi, Giovanni Pettinelli, Manuel Zuliani, Alessandro Fusco, Luca Morisi.

Wales: Liam Williams; Josh Adams, Mason Grady, Joe Hawkins, Rio Dyer;