Italy and Uruguay will lock horns in a crucial Rugby World Cup 2023 Pool A match on Wednesday 20 September 2023 at the Stade de Nice, Nice. The match will kick off at 17:45 local time (11:45 AM ET).
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Italy are currently ranked 12th in the world, while Uruguay are ranked 17th. However, Italy will be wary of Uruguay, who are a tough and physical side. Uruguay showed their quality in their opening match of the tournament, pushing France hard before eventually losing 23-16.
Italy will be looking to bounce back from their opening match defeat to New Zealand. The Azzurri were well beaten by the All Blacks, but they will be determined to put on a better performance against Uruguay.
Italy have a number of experienced players in their side, including captain Michele Lamaro and fly-half Tommaso Allan. Uruguay also have some experienced players, such as scrum-half Agustin Ormaechea and flanker Juan Manuel Gaminara.
The match is expected to be a close battle, with both teams evenly matched. Italy will be looking to use their experience and set-piece strength to their advantage. Uruguay will be looking to use their physicality and speed to cause Italy problems.
How to watch
The match will be broadcast live on NBC in the USA, ITV and S4C in the UK, Stan Sport in Australia, SKY Italia and RAI in Italy, and ESPN LATIN AMERICA in Uruguay.
For those who prefer to stream the action online, FuboTV, SlingTV, Peacock, DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, and YouTube TV in the USA, ITVX in the UK, and DAZAN in Japan. Selected matches will also be streamed live on RUGBYPASS TV.
Italy lineups
Ange Capuozzo, Lorenzo Pani, Juan Ignacio Brex, Paolo Garbisi, Montanna Ioane, Tommaso Allan, Alessandro Garbisi; Lorenzo Cannone, Michele Lamaro (captain), Sebastian Negri, Federico Ruzza, Niccolo Cannone, Marco Riccioni, Giacomo Nicotera, Danilo Fischetti.
Replacements: Luca Bigi, Federico Zani, Pietro Ceccarelli, Dino Lamb, Manuel Zuliani, Giovanni Pettinelli, Alessandro Fusco, Paolo Odogwu.
Uruguay lineups
Baltazar Amaya, Gaston Mieres, Tomas Inciarte, Andres Vilaseca, Nicolas Freitas, Felipe Etcheverry, Sanitago Arata; Manuel Diana, Santiago Civetta, Manuel Ardao, Manuel Leindekar, Felipe Aliaga, Ignacio Peculo, German Kessler, Mateo Sanguinetti.
Replacements: Guillermo Pujadas, Faccundo Gattas, Diego Arbelo, Ignacio Dotti, Carlos Deus, Agustin Ormaechea, Felipe Berchesi, Bautista Basso.
Italy vs Uruguay Rugby World Cup 2023 preview
Considering Uruguay’s impressive performance in their initial match against France, this upcoming contest appears to be a potentially tricky encounter for the Italian team, who had a bye week in the tournament’s second week. The South American squad displayed brilliance in Lille against Les Bleus, employing a high-tempo attacking strategy that managed to breach the French defense, resulting in two tries and coming close to scoring a third.
Despite being aware of the daunting challenges ahead, including matches against New Zealand and France, Italy must maintain their focus on the present. Coach Kieran Crowley has made strategic changes, including moving Ange Cappuozo to the fullback position and bringing Tommaso Allen back as the starting fly-half. Notably, Italy will feature two sets of brothers in their starting XV, namely Paolo Garbisi and Alessandro Garbisi, as well as Lorenzo Cannone and Niccolo Cannone, marking a proud occasion for both families.
If Uruguay maintains the same attacking intensity they displayed in Lille, Italy could find themselves facing substantial pressure. Nevertheless, the Azzurri possess their own craftiness and deceptive tactics, with Cappuozo leading the charge, and they should also be capable of exerting pressure on Uruguay’s set-piece.
There are a number of ways to watch Italy vs Uruguay live online, depending on your location. If you are in the USA, UK, Italy, or Uruguay, you can watch the game on one of the local TV channels or streaming services. If you are outside of these countries, you can use a VPN to watch the game on a streaming service that is available in a country where it is being broadcast live.
Prediction
Italy are the favorites to win the match, but Uruguay are a dangerous side. I predict that Italy will win by a narrow margin.
