Italy will rely on a blend youth and experience when they face New Zealand in Rome on Saturday in new coach Conor O'Shea's first test on home soil.
Italy rugby captain Sergio Parisse Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Scrum-half Giorgio Bronzini will make his international debut in an untested half-back pairing with Carlo Canna, who has 12 caps, against an All Blacks side looking to get back on track after a shock 40-29 defeat by Ireland in Chicago last weekend.
Irishman O'Shea, who is gunning to emulate his compatriots' success against a team Italy has not beaten in 14 meetings, has handed skipper Sergio Parisse a record 120th cap in the back row.
Veteran hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini also comes into the side, with Australian-born Luke McLean at inside centre.
Fullback Edoardo Padovani is at the heart of a back three that has 12 international caps between them, along with wings Giulio Bisegni and Angelo Esposito.
Team:
15-Edoardo Padovani, 14-Giulio Bisegni, 13-Tommaso Benvenuti, 12-Luke Mclean, 11-Angelo Esposito, 10-Carlo Canna, 9-Giorgio Bronzini, 8-Sergio Parisse, 7-Simone Favaro, 6-Maxime Mbanda, 5-Andries Van Schalkwyk, 4-Marco Fuser, 3-Lorenzo Cittadini, 2-Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1-Andrea Lovotti
Replacements: 16-Ornel Gega, 17-Sami Panico, 18-Pietro Ceccarelli, 19-George Biagi, 20-Francesco Minto, 21-Edoardo Gori, 22-Tommaso Allan, 23-Tommaso Boni