No Parisse for Italy
After making his comeback from injury in the 9-16 loss to Ireland, Parisse is replaced by Alessandro Zanni.
In the absence of 114-test Parisse, the starting line-up has a total of 576 caps, the lowest for Italy in a World Cup since the run-on team (533) in the 31-5 win over Portugal in 2007.
In terms of average age, at 27 years 201 days it is also Italy's youngest World Cup starting XV since 2007 and the 16-18 final pool-match defeat by Scotland (27 years, 133 days). Without Parisse and hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini, who still has not recovered from a thigh muscle injury, lock Quintin Geldenhuys will take over as captain.
Geldenhuys will be the 11th player to captain Italy in a World Cup match, but has already led Italy three times, in tests against Fiji, Samoa and Japan in June 2014. Italy captains have scored tries in the previous two World Cups, Parisse in 2011 (2) and Alessandro Troncon in 2007, so perhaps the armband will bring Geldenhuys some luck and his first test try for Italy. Only Salvatore Perugini (83) has played more tests for Italy without scoring a point.
The other change is Tommaso Benvenuti who comes in at inside centre for Gonzalo Garcia, which he also did after just three minutes of the defeat by Ireland. Those minutes were the only previous test rugby Benvenuti and Michele Campagnaro have played in that combination. Campagnaro will play on his new home ground, having signed a two-year contract to represent English Premiership team the Exeter Chiefs when the tournament is over.
Alberto De Marchi, who joined the squad at the start of the week as an injury replacement for Martin Castrogiovanni, could make his World Cup debut if he gets off the bench. He is the only player in Italy's matchday 23 who has not played any tournament minutes so far.
Alongside him on the bench is Valerio Bernabo, the only player in Italy's 23 now who played the last time Italy took on Romania in a test, the 24-18 defeat in2007. The only other player who was involved then for Italy is starting prop Matias Aguero, but he was an unused replacement in 2007.
Italy: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Leonardo Sarto, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Tommaso Benvenuti, 11 Giovanbattista Venditti, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 Edoardo Gori, 8 Alessandro Zanni, 7 Simone Favaro, 6 Francesco Minto, 5 Josh Furno, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys (captain), 3 Lorenzo Cittadini, 2 Andrea Manici, 1 Matias Aguero.
Replacements: 16 Davide Giazzon, 17 Alberto De Marchi, 18 Dario Chistolini, 19 Valerio Bernabò, 20 Samuela Vunisa, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Carlo Canna, 23 Enrico Bacchin.
Date: Sunday, October 11
Venue: Sandy Park, Exeter
Kick-off: 14.30 (13.30 GMT; 15.30 Italian time; 16.30 EEST)
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Mathieu Raynal (France)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
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