Calvisano flanker Maurizio Zaffiri will win his eighth Italy cap

In the pack, injured flanker Mauro Bergamasco is replaced by Calvisano's Maurizio Zaffiri, with Agen's Santiago Dellape returning to the second row.

Overmach Parma's Ezio Galan starts at full-back in place of the experienced Cristian Stoica who drops to the bench.

Dellape replaces Carlo Del Fava, who is named among the replacements.

The 26-year-old Bergamasco suffered a thigh injury playing for club side Stade Francais at the weekend, but his brother Mirco is fit to start at centre.

Italy are coming off the back of a 37-12 defeat against France a fortnight ago, while Wales lost heavily in Ireland.

"The killer instinct has been lacking for us, and we must continue to work on that, especially in Cardiff," Berbizier said.

"In Dublin we followed the game-plan and that is why we played well, but we lost in the end. It was our fault we did not take that opportunity."

Berbizier's side are still seeking their first away win since joining the tournament in 2000 and the former France international remains hopeful of an Italian success in Cardiff.

"The objective remains the usual one," said the coach. "We should come on to the pitch to express ourselves and we must improve even more than the previous games.

"To be at 100%, for our squad, is essential in order to be able to pick up results in this tournament.

"Victory is what we must aim for, we must win a game - and if we win an away game that is even better."

Italy: E Galon (Overmach Parma); P Canavosio (Calvisano), G Canale (Clermont Auvergne), Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais), L Nitoglia (Calvisano); R Pez (Perpignan), P Griffen (Calvisano); S Perugini (Calvisano), F Ongaro (Treviso), C Nieto (Viadana), S Dellape (Agen), M Bortolami (Narbonne, capt), S Parisse (Stade Francais), M Zaffiri (Calvisano), J Sole (Viadana).
Replacements: C Festuccia (Gran Parma), A Lo Cicero (L'Aquila), M Castrogiovanni (Calvisano), C Del Fava (Bourgoin), A Zanni (Calvisano), S Picone (Treviso), C Stoica (Montpellier).