Varney and Vintcent to face Springboks in Torino
Published on: 05/11/2026
Exeter Chiefs scrum-half Stephen Varney and back-rower Ross Vintcent have been selected in the Italy side to face South Africa in Torino on Saturday.
The game, which kicks off at 11:40 [UK time] in Italy at the Allianz Stadium, sees hooker Giacomo Nicotera captain the Azzuri in the absence of both Michele Lamaro and Seb Negri.
Italian head coach Gonzalo Quesada selects Paolo Garbisi and Alessandro Fusco in the starting half-back positions with Varney prepared to make an impact from the bench.
Vintcent is also selected among the replacements with fellow back-rower Manuel Zuliani of Benetton Rugby, both of whom bring a real physical edge to the game.
Italy previously announced a 15-strong injury list, including Chiefs lock Andrea Zambonin who continues his recovery from shoulder surgery. Other notable absentees include starting centre pairing Juan Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello, who was injured in Chiefs’ opening Investec Champions Cup fixture against Stade Toulousain in France.
Italy v South Africa will be broadcast live on ITV in their first Nations Championship fixture of the November block.
Italy:
15 Mirko Belloni (Zebre Parma, 3 caps)
14 Ange Capuozzo (Stade Toulousain, 32 caps)
13 Paolo Odogwu (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)
12 Leonardo Marin (Benetton Rugby, 25 caps)
11 Monty Ioane (Lyon, 49 caps)
10 Paolo Garbisi (Perpignan, 57 caps)
9 Alessandro Fusco (Zebre Parma, 27 caps)
8 Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 40 caps)
7 Samuele Locatelli (Zebre Parma, debutant)
6 Alessandro Ortombina (Zebre Parma, 2 caps)
5 Federico Ruzza (Benetton Rugby, 74 caps)
4 Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 65 caps)
3 Simone Ferrari (Benetton Rugby, 73 caps)
2 Giacomo Nicotera (Stade Français, 41 caps) – captain
1 Muhamed Hasa (Zebre Parma, 11 caps)
Replacements:
16 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Zebre Parma, 12 caps)
17 Danilo Fischetti (Northampton Saints 66 caps)
18 Ion Neculai (Northampton Saints, 4 caps)
19 Enoch Opoku Gyamfi (Bath, 1 cap)
20 Ross Vintcent (Exeter Chiefs, 22 caps)
21 Manuel Zuliani (Benetton Rugby, 43 caps)
22 Stephen Varney (Exeter Chiefs 39 caps)
23 Tommaso Allan (Zebre Parma, 91 caps)
Written By:
Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club
