Masi has won 35 caps so far for his country

New Italy coach Nick Mallett has named Biarritz centre Andrea Masi at fly-half for the Six Nations opener against Ireland on Saturday.

Masi played at inside and outside centre, as well as on the wing, during the World Cup but will start for the first time at fly-half this weekend.

Alongside him at half-back is scrum-half Pietro Travagli, who will win his third Italian cap.

There are five changes to the side that lost to Scotland at the World Cup.

In the front row, hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini and prop Andrea Lo Cicero replace Carlo Festuccia and Salvatore Perugini while Castres wing Pablo Canavosio takes Masi's place out wide.

Masi is awarded the fly-half role after Ramiro Pez was dropped after Italy's disappointing World Cup campaign which saw them fail to qualify for the knock-out stages.

Former South Africa coach Mallett admits he is taking a risk with the fly-half selection but insists he will give Masi time to get used to the position.

"We've got to start somewhere," said Mallett. "The fly-half position has been a problem in the past.

"The sooner I see Masi playing the better and the sooner he will improve. He'll be there for the next three games.

"I'm trying to introduce more variety, to do that I need a back-line that can be dangerous and can threaten. I've picked a number 10 that can do that. You can't always go for safety first."

Travagli, who played for Bath in 2006, has not featured for his country since the Test against New Zealand in 2004.

Italy will be led by number eight Sergio Parisse after Mallett decided to take the role away from Gloucester lock Marco Bortolami.

Bortolami is expected to return next month after suffering a double fracture of the left eye socket playing for his club in the Heineken Cup.

Italy: Bortolussi (Montpellier); Robertson (Viadana), Canale (Clermont Auvergne), Mi Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Canavosio (Castres); Masi (Biarritz), Travagli (Overmach Parma); Lo Cicero (Racing Metro), Ghiraldini (Calvisano), Castrogiovanni (Leicester), Dellape (Biarritz), Del Fava (Ulster), Sole (Viadana), Ma Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Parisse (Stade Francais, capt).
Replacements: Festuccia (Racing Metro), Perugini (Toulouse), Nieto (Gloucester), Reato (Rovigo), Zanni (Calvisano), Marcato (Treviso), Galon (Overmach Parma).