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Howells tweaks team for Italy

Daniel Carpo starts at No.8 instead of suspended captain Mihai Macovei, while Valentin Calafeteanu starts at scrumhalf in place of the injured Florin Surugiu. In Macovei's absence, Valentin Ursache takes over as captain, which he has done once before, the 11-18 defeat by Georgia in Tbilisi in March 2011.

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Calafeteanu is just one of three Romania players who remain from the matchday 22 when Romania last played Italy in a test, the 18-24 defeat at World Cup 2007. Catalin Fercu, who starts at fullback, and Csaba Gal, who is on the bench, are the other players who were involved back then.

No player has made more test appearances off the bench for Romania than Calafeteanu (35), but nearly a third (11) of his career starts at scrumhalf have come in the last two years. As Surugiu drops out of the matchday 23 for this match, it gives a place on the bench to the only uncapped player in Romania's 2015 World Cup squad, Tudorel Bratu.

If he gets off the bench, Bratu could become the 10th Romania player to make his test debut in a World Cup match, and the first since Stefan Ciuntu in the 8-85 defeat to New Zealand in 2007. Teammate Paulica Ion also made his test debut in a World Cup match in 2003. Alongside him on the bench is Marius Antonescu, who will make his World Cup debut if he gets on the field.

In terms of age, the starting XV is the second oldest in World Cups for Romania with an average age of 29 years 153 days, with only the run-on team [29 years, 313 days] for the 10-44 defeat at the hands of Ireland being older.

The starting team has a total of 670 caps, the third most-capped for Romania in a World Cup match. The only two starting XVs with more were both at this year's tournament – 702 against Ireland and 677 against France.  

Fullback Fercu is still just one try away from becoming Romania's outright record try-scorer. He has shared the current record (28) with Gabriel Brezoianu for more than two years, having failed to score a try in his last 19 tests.

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Romania: 15 Catalin Fercu, 14 Madalin Lemnaru, 13 Paula Kinikinilau, 12 Florin Vlaicu, 11 Ionut Botezatu, 10 Michael Wiringi, 9 Valentin Calafeteanu, 8 Daniel Carpo, 7 Viorel Lucaci, 6 Valentin Ursache (captain), 5 Johannes van Heerden, 4 Valentin Poparlan, 3 Paulica Ion, 2 Otar Turashvili, 1 Mihaita Lazar.

Replacements: 16 Andrei Radoi, 17 Andrei Ursache, 18 Horatiu Pungea, 19 Marius Antonescu, 20 Stelian Burcea, 21 Tudorel Bratu, 22 Adrian Apostol, 23 Csaba Gal.

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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