(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 27 - Italy coach Kieran Crowley on Wednesday named his side to take on New Zealand at the Rugby World Cup in Lyon on Friday, with the Azzurri looking to spring one of the biggest upsets in the tournament's history to qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time ever.
    Italy are second in Pool A with 10 points from two games after bonus-point wins over Namibia and Uruguay, while hosts France are top with 13 points from three matches and the All Blacks are third with five points from two.
    Crowley's starting line-up is the same as the one for their 52-8 win over Namibia in the opening game, with the exception of prop Marco Riccioni being in the front row instead of Simone Ferrari.
    It features three changes to the side that beat Uruguay 38-17 a week ago, with lock Dino Lamb replacing Niccolo Cannone, who is bumped to the bench, and scrum-half Stephen Varney and centre Luca Morisi coming in too, with Alessandro Garbisi and Lorenzo Pani dropping out of the squad.
    Tommaso Allan returns to full-back after starting at fly-half last week, while Paolo Garbisi moves from the centres to fly-half.
    Ange Capuozzo shifts from fullback to wing.
    "As with the previous opponents, the focus will be on our performance," said Crowley.
    "Precision and discipline will be fundamental factors.
    "We'll approach this match with courage, continuing the consolidation of our identity".
    Italy: 1 Danilo Fischetti 2 Giacomo Nicotera 3 Marco Riccioni 4 Dino Lamb 5 Federico Ruzza 6 Sebastian Negri 7 Michele Lamaro, captain 8 Lorenzo Cannone 9 Stephen Varney 10 Paolo Garbisi 11 Montanna Ioane 12 Luca Morisi 13 Juan Ignacio Brex 14 Ange Capuozzo 15 Tommaso Allan Replacements: 16 Hame Faiva 17 Ivan Nemer 18 Simone Ferrari 19 Niccolo Cannone 20 Manuel Zuliani 21 Toa Halafihi 22 Martin Page-Relo 23 Paolo Odogwu. (ANSA).