By Charlie Henderson

Persico has played in Italy's three Six Nations wins

Aaron Persico insists it is time Italy stood up to be counted in the RBS Six Nations, particularly on the road.

"We have a good start to the tournament with two games at home against Ireland and Wales," the flanker told BBC Sport.

"We have to put them under pressure and take confidence from those matches into the rest of the Six Nations and play consistently well in the five games.

"It's important to get results and we are really looking at getting our first away win when we travel to Scotland."

The game at Murrayfield is in the third round of matches on 26 February.

Persico believes it is the perfect opportunity for Italy to show the improvements thay have made since making their Six Nations debut in 2000.

"In those first few years we had some very old guys in there. They had experience but we were a one-dimensional team, very simple and forward orientated," he said.

"Since then we've looked to develop our game and use the whole team and we're playing a more open and expansive game.

"While we've still got big forwards we're linking better, we're more organised, we've got guys with so much talent and some good attacking young backs.

"We just need to give them some chances and if they get a bit of space and luck, things should go our way."

Team guide: Italy

But he believes any success is dependent on the squad being in the right frame of mind.

"A few years back we would play really well at home but then get flogged by 50 points on the road," he added.

"We don't really travel that well and I think it's a mental thing, but we're getting more and more professional year-by-year.

"Sometimes it's hard to say if we're there or not, but if we can put that behind us we can go out there and surprise some teams.

"There's not so much pressure on us and we've got nothing to lose, but we've got to be competitive."