Troncon back for Italy

The 33-year-old replaces Paul Griffen and will win a national record 92nd cap when he runs out for the Six Nations clash at Twickenham.

Troncon came on as a replacement in their 39-3 loss to France and coach Pierre Berbizier will be looking for the experienced half-back to get Italy's Six Nations campaign back on track.

"This line-up will help us see how some players do at a high level and will help us work on the squad ahead of the World Cup, and to give a better mental and athletic freshness to the team after the first Six Nations game," said Berbizier.

"The decision to play Troncon at number nine from the first minute also comes from that evaluation - it will be interesting to see how Alessandro does as a starter two years after his last starting appearance for the Azzurri.

Troncon will link up with Andrea Scanavacca at half-back after he was preferred to Ramiro Pez, despite coming off with a rib injury against France.

In the front row, Berbizier starts with Carlo Festuccia, Andrea Lo Cicero and Martin Castrogiovanni, while with Fabio Ongaro and Salvatore Perugini drop down to the bench.

Prop Carlos Nieto is left out of the 22.

Key flanker Mauro Begamasco is unavailable through injury and is replaced by Maurizio Zaffiri, while Kaine Robertson comes in for the experienced back Andrea Masi, who is also injured.

Team: Roland De Marigny (Calvisano); Kaine Robertson (Viadana), Gonzalo Canale (Clermont), Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Denis Dallan (Stade Francais; Andrea Scanavacca (Calvisano), Alessandro Troncon (Clermont); Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais), Maurizio Zaffiri (Calvisano), Josh Sole (Viadana); Marco Bortolami (capt, Gloucester), Santiago Dellape (Biarritz); Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester), Carlo Festuccia (Parma), Andrea Lo Cicero (L'Aquila).

Replacements: Fabio Ongaro (Saracens), Salvatore Perugini (Toulouse), Valerio Bernabo (Calvisano), Roberto Mandelli (Parma), Paul Griffen (Calvisano), Ramiro Pez (Bayonne), Matteo Pratichetti (Calvisano)