RBS SIX NATIONS: Wales v Italy
Venue: Millennium Stadium Date: Saturday, 20 March Kick-off: 1430 GMT
Coverage: Watch on BBC One, BBC HD channel, Red Button and BBC Sport website; full commentary on BBC Radio 5 live, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru; live text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles

A back injury has ruled out Italy centre Andrea Masi from Saturday's RBS Six Nations match against Wales in the Millennium Stadium.

Gonzalo Canale will replace Masi. Lock Carlo Del Fava and flanker Paul Derbyshire had already been ruled out.

Muscular injuries picked up by the pair in training meant that Marco Bortolami and Josh Sole returned to the side.

Coach Nick Mallett has insisted that the stadium roof remains open for the game because of the prospect of rain.

The South African said playing in dry conditions would suit Wales, while a slippery ball and wet turf would assist the Italians to slow the pace of the game.

606: DEBATE Have your say on the Italy changes

"I don't see why we should close the roof simply because it suits Wales," said Mallett at the Millennium Stadium on Friday morning. "It certainly doesn't suit Italy and we'd like to keep it open."

He added: "Wales are a team that play fantastic open rugby. They've got great ball-handling skills, they play the game at pace and we prefer not to be played at that pace."

Wing Kaine Robertson and scrum-half Pablo Canavosio are the other changes to the Italian side that lost 46-20 to France last Sunday.

Injury-hit Del Fava and Derbyshire had won their places after impressing Mallett when they came on as second-half substitutes in Paris, contributing to a late rally in which Del Fava scored a try.

We are building as a team and we want to start getting results away from Rome Italy fly-half Craig Gower

Canavosio is chosen at scrum-half after coming on for the untidy Tito Tebaldi and scoring a late try, while Robertson has been recalled after starting the Azzurri's opening 29-11 defeat in Ireland.

Mallett had stuck with the same side for the previous three games, against France, Scotland and a 17-12 defeat by England.

Wales and Italy both go into the match with two points gained from wins over Scotland and the loser could finish last if the Scots, who drew 15-15 with England last weekend, beat Ireland in Dublin.

"I do not think Wales are vulnerable," said Italy fly-half Craig Gower. "They will come out firing and it will be a big challenge for us.

"We have to do the basics right and see what comes. We are using the ball more than we used to.

"Ireland was a disappointing game for us in terms of moving the ball but we improved against England and Scotland and will be looking to create opportunities.

"We have changed from being a forward-based team; I do not want to give the ball away all the time but you have to be smart about the way you play and my job is to make it work, getting us in the right positions and playing a little bit.

"We are building as a team and we want to start getting results away from Rome.

"We defended well in Australia and New Zealand last summer and France was a bit of a shock because we had not conceded many tries before that."

Italy: L McLean (Treviso); K Robertson (Viadana), G Canale (Clermont Auvergne), G Garcia (Treviso), Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais); C Gower (Bayonne), P Canavosio (Viadana); S Perugini (Bayonne), L Ghiraldini (Treviso), M Castrogiovanni (Leicester), C Del Fava (Viadana)/M Bortolami (Gloucester), Q Geldenhuys (Viadana), P Derbyshire (Padova)/J Sole (Viadana), Mauro Bergamasco (Stade Francais), A Zanni (Treviso).
Replacements: F Ongaro (Saracens), M Aguero (Saracens), M Bortolami (Gloucester)/V Bernabo (Roma), J Sole (Viadana)/M Vosawai (Parma), T Tebaldi (Gran Parma), R Bocchino (Rovigo), Matteo Pratichetti (Viadana).

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