Italy vs Argentina Preview & Prediction | 2026 Nations Championship | Round 5
by Trystan Pugh ·
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
Italy host Argentina in Genoa on Saturday as the Azzurri search for their first point of the Nations Championship.
Start date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – ITV / USA – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – ITVX / USA – RugbyPass TV
Italy team news: Allan returns, Varney starts at scrum-half
Squad: Tommaso Allan; Ange Capuozzo, Paolo Odogwu, Leonardo Marin, Monty Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera (capt), Simone Ferrari; Niccolo Cannone, Federico Ruzza; Ross Vintcent, Manuel Zuliani, Lorenzo Cannone
Replacements: Gianmarco Lucchesi, Muhamed Hasa, Marco Riccioni, Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi, Alessandro Ortombina, Samuele Locatelli, Alessandro Garbisi, Federico Mori
Argentina team news: Matera captains Pumas in Montoya’s absence
Squad: Bautista Delguy; Rodrigo Isgro, Justo Piccardo, Santiago Chocobares, Mateo Carreras; Tomas Albornoz, Simon Benitez Cruz; Boris Wenger, Bautista Bernasconi, Francisco Moreno; Guido Petti, Pedro Rubiolo; Pablo Matera (capt), Joaquin Moro, Juan Martin Scelzo
Replacements: Facundo Bosch, Mayco Vivas, Joel Sclavi, Efrain Elias, Juan Martin Gonzalez, Facundo Isa, Gonzalo Garcia, Geronimo Prisciantelli
Who will win?
Open poll and resultsItaly vs Argentina prediction
Italy are still waiting for a first point after four rounds, sitting bottom of the Northern Hemisphere table having conceded 197 points. Last weekend’s 66-7 defeat to South Africa in Turin was the most painful so far, with head coach Gonzalo Quesada admitting the Springboks were simply too good. He has made five changes for this one, with Tommaso Allan back at full-back and Stephen Varney, Danilo Fischetti, Ross Vintcent and Manuel Zuliani all coming in.
Argentina are fourth in the Southern Hemisphere standings on seven points, with just one win from four, and they are coming off a 42-12 defeat to Ireland in Dublin. Felipe Contepomi has been hit by absentees too, with captain Julian Montoya and Marcos Kremer among those missing, and Pablo Matera leads a side that includes Bautista Bernasconi making his first Test start at hooker.
The Pumas remain the clear favourites and have enjoyed plenty of success against Italy in recent years, including a 50-18 win in Udine in November 2024. Inexperience is a worry for the visitors, but Italy’s defensive problems are a bigger one, and Argentina should have the power and pace to win with something to spare. We are backing them to cover an 11-point handicap.
Italy vs Argentina tip: Argentina to win with -11 handicap
