Northampton Saints’ summer signing Malik Faissal is set to earn his maiden cap for Italy on Saturday (4 July, kick-off: 9.40am UK time) as the Azzurri begin their Nations Championship in Japan.
The 20-year-old winger is set to arrive at Franklin’s Gardens ahead of the 2026/27 season having featured for Italy Under-20s to date, but is now set to earn a senior debut when Italy get their summer tour underway at Chichibunomiya Stadium in Tokyo.
Faissal’s first senior international match sees also him line up alongside soon-to-be club teammate Danilo Fischetti – who starts at loosehead prop for Italy to earn his 64th cap.
ITALY SQUAD TO FACE JAPAN
Saturday 4 July, 2026
Nations Championship 2026, Round 1
Chichibunomiya Stadium, Tokyo
15 Lorenzo Pani (Zebre Parma, 12 caps)
14 Malik Faissal (Northampton Saints, debutant)
13 Juan Ignacio Brex (Toulon, 52 caps)
12 Tommaso Menoncello (Stade Toulousain, 39 caps)
11 Monty Ioane (Lyon, 47 caps)
10 Paolo Garbisi (Toulon, 54 caps)
9 Stephen Varney (Exeter Chiefs, 37 caps)
1 Danilo Fischetti (Northampton Saints, 63 caps)
2 Tommaso Di Bartolomeo (Zebre Parma, 10 caps)
3 Marco Riccioni (Perpignan, 36 caps)
4 Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 63 caps)
5 Andrea Zambonin (Exeter Chiefs, 18 caps)
6 Alessandro Ortombina (Zebre Parma, debutant)
7 Michele Lamaro (Benetton Rugby, 54 caps) – captain
8 Lorenzo Cannone (Benetton Rugby, 38 caps)
Replacements:
16 Gianmarco Lucchesi (Toulon, 33 caps)
17 Mirco Spagnolo (Benetton Rugby, 24 caps)
18 Muhamed Hasa (Zebre Parma, 8 caps)
19 Riccardo Favretto (Benetton Rugby, 13 caps)
20 Ross Vintcent (Exeter Chiefs, 19 caps)
21 Alessandro Fusco (Zebre Parma, 25 caps)
22 Leonardo Marin (Benetton Rugby, 22 caps)
23 Tommaso Allan (Zebre Parma, 89 caps)