Italy Six Nations squad 2026: Nacho Brex and Tommaso Allan return to face England

Josh Graham

Head coach Gonzalo Quesada makes three changes to starting XV in Rome

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The Italy Six Nations 2026 squad head into their match against England dariing to dream. While they’ve never beaten the visitors, a combination of impressive displays by the Azzurri, and England’s disappointing losses to Scotland and Ireland have got many wondering if an upset is on the cards.

With hopes this high, head coach Gonzalo Quesada will be delighted to welcome centre Nacho Brex back into the fold after missing the last two matches for family reasons. He’ll renew his successful midfield partnership with Tommaso Menoncello.

The other changes in the starting XV are Lorenzo Pani taking over from the injured Ange Capuozzo at full-back, and Alessandro Garbisi coming in for Alessandro Fusco (who drops to the bench) at scrum-half. There’s also a return from injury for the versatile Tommaso Allan, who starts on the bench.

The pack (which has looked so impressive in the Azzurri’s first three matches) is unchanged, with a front row of Danilo Fischetti, Simone Ferrari and Giacomo Nicotera. Niccolò Cannone and Andrea Zambonin pack down at lock, while the back row features Manuel Zuliani, Lorenzo Cannone and captain Michele Lamaro.

Alessandro Garbisi lines up alongside his brother, Paolo Garbisi, at half-back, ahead of that aforementioned Brex/Menoncello axis. In the back three, Louis Lynagh and Monty Ioane are on the wings, with Pani at full-back.

Quesada has switched to a 5-3 split on the bench. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo, Mirco Spagnolo, Muhamed Hasa, Federico Ruzza and Riccardo Favretto provide forward cover, with Alessandro Fusco, Leonardo Marin and Tommaso Allan as the replacement backs.

Italy v England kicks off at 2.10pm GMT on Saturday 7 March, with live coverage on ITV1 and ITVX in the UK, and Virgin Media One and Virgin Media Play in Ireland.

Italy Six Nations team v England – round 4

15. Lorenzo Pani
14. Louis Lynagh
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Alessandro Garbisi

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Andrea Zambonin
6. Michele Lamaro (captain)
7. Manuel Zuliani
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Muhamed Hasa
19. Federico Ruzza
20. Riccardo Favretto
21. Alessandro Fusco
22. Leonardo Marin
23. Tommaso Allan

Italy Six Nations team v France – round 3

15. Ange Capuozzo
14. Louis Lynagh
13. Tommaso Menoncello
12. Leonardo Marin
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Alessandro Fusco

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Andrea Zambonin
6. Michele Lamaro (captain)
7. Manuel Zuliani
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Pablo Dimcheff
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Giosuè Zilocchi
19. Federico Ruzza
20. Riccardo Favretto
21. David Odiase
22. Alessandro Garbisi
23. Paolo Odogwu

Italy Six Nations team v Ireland – round 2

15. Lorenzo Pani
14. Louis Lynagh
13. Tommaso Menoncello
12. Leonardo Marin
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Alessandro Fusco

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Andrea Zambonin
6. Michele Lamaro (captain)
7. Manuel Zuliani
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Muhamed Hasa
19. Federico Ruzza
20. Riccardo Favretto
21. David Odiase
22. Alessandro Garbisi
23. Paolo Odogwu

Italy Six Nations team v Scotland – round 1

15. Leonardo Marin
14. Louis Lynagh
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Alessandro Fusco

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Andrea Zambonin
6. Michele Lamaro (captain)
7. Manuel Zuliani
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Tommaso Di Bartolomeo
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Muhamed Hasa
19. Federico Ruzza
20. Riccardo Favretto
21. Alessandro Garbisi
22. Giacomo Da Re
23. Lorenzo Pani

Italy Six Nations squad: Quesada’s 33-man squad

Forwards (18): Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Zebre Parma), Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton Rugby), Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby), Pablo Dimcheff (Colomiers Rugby), Riccardo Favretto (Benetton Rugby), Simone Ferrari (Benetton Rugby), Danilo Fischetti (Northampton Saints), Muhamed Hasa (Zebre Parma), Alessandro Izekor (Benetton Rugby), Michele Lamaro (Benetton Rugby), Samuele Locatelli (Zebre Parma), Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Français), David Odiase (Zebre Parma), Marco Riccioni (Saracens), Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby), Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton Rugby), Andrea Zambonin (Exeter Chiefs), Manuel Zuliani (Benetton Rugby)

Backs (15): Juan Ignacio Brex (Benetton Rugby), Giacomo Da Re (Zebre Parma), Alessandro Fusco (Zebre Parma), Matt Gallagher (Benetton Rugby), Paolo Garbisi (Toulon), Monty Ioane (Lyon), Louis Lynagh (Benetton Rugby), Leonardo Marin (Benetton Rugby), Damiano Mazza (Zebre Parma), Tommaso Menoncello (Benetton Rugby), Paolo Odogwu (Benetton Rugby), Martin Page-Relo (Lyon), Lorenzo Pani (Zebre Parma), Edoardo Todaro (Northampton Saints), Stephen Varney (Exeter Chiefs)

Italy Six Nations squad: 2026 fixtures at a glance

  • Sat 6 February, Italy v Scotland (kick-off 2.10pm GMT, Stadio Olimpico, Rome) Live on the BBC in the UK
  • Sat 14 February, Ireland v Italy (kick-off 2.10pm GMT, Aviva Stadium, Dublin) Live on ITV in the UK
  • Sun 22 February, France v Italy (kick-off 3.10pm GMT, Stade Pierre Mauroy, Lille) Live on ITV in the UK
  • Sat 7 March, Italy v England (kick-off 4.40pm GMT, Stadio Olimpico, Rome) Live on ITV in the UK
  • Sat 14 March, Wales v Italy (kick-off 4.40pm GMT, Principality Stadium, Cardiff) Live on the BBC in the UK

Italy Six Nations squad: Line-ups from every match in 2025

Round 1: v Scotland (Scottish Gas Murrayfield, Edinburgh)

Result: Scotland 31-19 Italy

Starting XV:
15. Tommaso Allan
14. Ange Capuozzo
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Martin Page-Relo

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Dino Lamb
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Michele Lamaro (captain)
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Gianmarco Lucchesi
17. Luca Rizzoli
18. Marco Riccioni
19. Niccolò Cannone
20. Manuel Zuliani
21. Ross Vintcent
22. Alessandro Garbisi
23. Simone Gesi

Round 2: v Wales (Stadio Olimpico, Rome)

Result: Italy 22-15 Wales

Starting XV:
15. Tommaso Allan
14. Ange Capuozzo
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Martin Page-Relo

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Michele Lamaro (captain)
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Gianmarco Lucchesi
17. Luca Rizzoli
18. Marco Riccioni
19. Dino Lamb
20. Manuel Zuliani
21. Ross Vintcent
22. Alessandro Garbisi
23. Jacopo Trulla

Round 3: v France (Stadio Olimpico, Rome)

Result: Italy 24-73 France

Starting XV:
15. Tommaso Allan
14. Ange Capuozzo
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Simone Gesi
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Martin Page-Relo

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Gianmarco Lucchesi
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Michele Lamaro (captain)
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Giacomo Nicotera
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Giosuè Zilocchi
19. Riccardo Favretto
20. Manuel Zuliani
21. Ross Vintcent
22. Alessandro Garbisi
23. Jacopo Trulla

Round 4: v England (Allianz Stadium, Twickenham)

Result: England 47-24 Italy

Starting XV:
15. Ange Capuozzo
14. Monty Ioane
13. Juan Ignacio Brex
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Matt Gallagher
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Stephen Varney

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Giacomo Nicotera
3. Marco Riccioni
4. Niccolò Cannone
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Michele Lamaro (captain)
8. Ross Vintcent

Replacements:
16.  Gianmarco Lucchesi
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Simone Ferrari
19. Riccardo Favretto
20. Manuel Zuliani
21. Lorenzo Cannone
22. Martin Page-Relo
23. Tomasso Allan

Round 5: v Ireland (Stadio Olimpico, Rome)

Result: Italy 17-22 Ireland

Starting XV:
15. Tomasso Allan
14. Ange Capuozzo
13. Juan Ignacio Brex (captain)
12. Tommaso Menoncello
11. Monty Ioane
10. Paolo Garbisi
9. Martin Page-Relo

1. Danilo Fischetti
2. Gianmarco Lucchesi
3. Simone Ferrari
4. Dino Lamb
5. Federico Ruzza
6. Sebastian Negri
7. Manuel Zuliani
8. Lorenzo Cannone

Replacements:
16. Giacomo Nicotera
17. Mirco Spagnolo
18. Giosuè Zilocchi
19. Niccolò Cannone
20. Michele Lamaro
21. Ross Vintcent
22. Stephen Varney
23. Leonardo Marin

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