Six Nations 2021: France's Gabin Villiere to make tournament debut against Italy

Gabin VilliereGetty Images

Gabin Villiere played sevens for France but made his XV-a-side debut in November 2020

Guinness Six Nations: Italy v France

Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome Date: Saturday 6 February Kick-off: 14:15 GMT

Coverage: Listen to commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra and watch post-match video highlights on the BBC Sport website and app.

France wing Gabin Villiere will make his Six Nations debut in Saturday's opener against Italy in Rome.

Centre Ignacio Brex earns his first cap for the Azzurri, while number eight Michele Lamaro makes his first start.

Italy head coach Franco Smith has opted for the youthful pairing of fly-half Paolo Garbisi, 20, and scrum-half Stephen Varney, 19.

For France, Teddy Thomas is on the right wing, with Brice Dulin at full-back.

Arthur Vincent starts at outside centre in the absence of the injured Virimi Vakatawa and Gael Fickou is at 12.

After missing France's Autumn Nations Cup final defeat by England, star scrum-half Antoine Dupont is back in the starting XV.

Flanker Gregory Alldritt has recovered from a knee injury and will start, while 22-year-old Matthieu Jalibert is at fly-half in place of the injured Romain Ntamack.

France impressed under coach Fabien Galthie in 2020 and are looking to improve on their second-place finish in last year's Six Nations.

Flanker Sebastian Negri and props Cherif Traore and Marco Riccioni return from injury for Italy, who have not won in the tournament since 2015.

Line-ups

Italy: Trulla; Sperandio, Zanon, Brex, Ioane; Garbisi, Varney; Traore, Bigi, Riccioni, Lazzaroni, Sisi, Negri, Meyer, Lamaro.

Replacements: Lucchesi, Fischetti, Zilocchi, Cannone, Ruzza, Mbanda, Palazzani, Canna.

France: Dulin; Thomas, Vincent, Fickou, Villiere; Jalibert, Dupont; Baille, Marchand, Haouas, Le Roux, Willemse, Cretin, Alldritt, Ollivon (capt).

Replacements: Bourgarit, Gros, Aldegheri, Taofifenua, Jelonch, Serin, Carbonel, Penaud.

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