 Pez is the only tactical change to the side that beat Scotland |
Italy coach Pierre Berbizier has recalled fly-half Ramiro Pez for Saturday's RBS Six Nations game against Wales in Rome. Pez, 30, started the first match against France, but then lost his place to Andrea Scanavacca for the games against England and Scotland.
Other changes see Matteo Pratichetti replacing the injured Andrea Masi on the left wing for his third cap.
And Carlos Nieto comes in for Martin Castrogiovanni (knee) in the front row.
Scanavacca scored a try and kicked another 17 points in the 37-17 win over Scotland.
But Berbizier, who is looking to lead Italy to an unprecedented second championship victory, revealed he wants to give Pez more time to develop a partnership with scrum-half Alessandro Troncon.
"Our principal goal is the World Cup," Berbizier said.
"I know the Troncon-Scanavacca pair well. Now I want to see how Troncon-Pez works, and this is one of the last occasions to test it out."
Italy team to face Wales in Rome on Saturday, 10 March: Roland De Marigny; Kaine Robertson, Gonzalo Canale, Mirco Bergamasco, Matteo Pratichetti; Ramiro Pez, Alessandro Troncon; Andrea Lo Cicero, Carlo Festuccia, Carlos Nieto, Santiago Dellape, Marco Bortolami (capt), Alessandro Zanni, Mauro Bergamasco, Sergio Parisse.
Replacements: Leonardo Ghiraldini, Salvatore Perugini, Fabio Staibano, Valerio Bernabo, Maurizio Zaffiri, Paul Griffen, Andrea Scanavacca.
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