Minto to make debut for Italy in game likened to climbing Everest

Italy v New ZealandFrancesco Minto will make his debut for Italy against New Zealand today as one of eight changes to the team for a match coach Jacques Brunel compares to climbing Everest.

“New Zealand are the Everest of rugby,” Brunel told a news conference on Thursday. “We are climbers who have to scale the most difficult mountain without fear, ready to brave the cold and the bad weather. Otherwise, we might as well stay calmly on Mont Blanc.”

World champions New Zealand have beaten Italy 13 times in as many meetings and Brunel said the game at Rome’s Olympic Stadium would show how much progress his team had made.

“For us it will be an important game to find out what our level is compared to the strongest team in the world, whether we are far from them or close,” the French man said.

“The All Blacks are the stiffest test to show us in which direction our work needs to go.” As well as adding Minto to the back row, Brunel will welcome back wing Mirco Bergamasco, who missed last Saturday’s 28-23 defeat of Tonga with a muscle problem.

Wing Giovambattista Venditti, who was on the bench against Tonga, will play and Luciano Orquera will start for the first time under Brunel, replacing Kristopher Burton. Captain Sergio Parisse and Martin Castrogiovanni will earn their 90th caps in the game.

Steve Hansen had said he wanted every player in the 32-man squad to get game time on this tour, and he has gone someway towards achieving that with wholesale changes from the 51-22 victory over Scotland.

Richie McCaw has dropped out of the squad altogether with Sam Cane to start at openside flanker, with regular outhalf Beauden Barrett to start at fullback. Barrett slotted into the position seamlessly last Sunday when he came on as a substitute for Israel Dagg, who was not considered for the Italy match due to bruising he sustained after a heavy fall.

Ben Smith, who would have normally been expected to slot into fullback, was also not considered after he suffered an injury to his cheek while playing against Scotland.