Rome - New Zealand-born flyhalf Kelly Haimona will make his debut for Italy in Saturday's Test against Samoa in Ascoli, national coach Jacques Brunel has said on Thursday.
Haimona, who plays at Italian club Zebre, has relegated Luciano Orquera onto the bench and will form a half-back partnership with Edoardo Gori.
Brunel kept faith with just five of the players who featured in June's 15-0 defeat to Samoa in Apia -- hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini, locks Quintin Geldenhuys and Josh Furno, winger Luke McLean and full-back Andrea Masi.
Italy team to face Samoa in an international Test at Ascoli on Saturday, kick-off at 16:00 (SA time):
Teams:
Italy:
15 Andrea Masi, 14 Luke Mclean, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Luca Morisi, 11 Leonardo Sarto, 10 Kelly Haimona, 9 Edoardo Gori, 8 Sergio Parisse (captain), 7 Simone Favaro, 6 Alessandro Zanni, 5 Joshua Furno, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys, 3 Dario Chistolini, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Matias Aguero
Substitutes: 16 Andrea Manici, 17 Alberto De Marchi, 18 Lorenzo Cittadini, 19 Marco Bortolami, 20 Robert Barbieri, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Luciano Orquera, 23 Giulio Toniolatti
Samoa:
15 Fa'atoina Autagavaia, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 Johnny Leota, 12 Alapati Leiua, 11 David Lemi (captain), 10 Tusiata Pisi, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i, 8 Taiasina Tuifua, 7 Jack Lam, 6 Piula Fa'asalele, 5 Fa'atiga Lemalu, 4 Kane Thompson, 3 Anthony Perenise, 2 Ti'i Paulo, 1 Sakaria Taulafo.
Replacements: 16 Ole Avei, 17 Albert Toetu, 18 Viliamu Afatia, 19 Teofilo Paulo, 20 Maurie Faasavalu, 21 Pele Cowley, 22 Michael Stanley, 23 Winston Stanley