The most notable change is his decision to relegate fly-half Ramiro Pez to the bench after a hesitant performance against the Pumas.

Andrea Scanavacca takes Pez's place. The 33-year-old last made Italy's starting formation more than four years ago in a World Cup qualifier against Romania.

Behind him, Calvisano winger Warren Spragg will make his debut in place of Pablo Canavosio, while Walter Pozzebon comes in at outside centre for Gonzalo Canale.

In the pack, hooker Fabio Ongaro has fully recovered from a shoulder injury and reclaims his place from Carlo Festuccia.

Prop Carlos Nieto and flanker Josh Sole started on the bench against Australia and Argentina but have been given places in Berbizier's starting 15 against Canada.

Meanwhile, Canada field six new players in the starting line-up, with four new players on the bench from the team that started against Wales last weekend in Cardiff.

Some key injuries and the return of James Pritchard to Northampton and Mike Burak to Pau have, in part, contributed to the changes.

Dan Pletch earns the starting loosehead spot from Kevin Tkachuk for his sterling all-round work and the scoring of one of Canada’s two tries when he came into the game against Wales last Friday.

“We are looking forward toward the World Cup,” said Canada coach Ric Suggitt.

“We know what Kevin can do and now we are going to see what Dan can do. Dan did very well against Wales when he came on and so this gives us a really good opportunity to try different combinations.”

Pat Riordan assumes the hooker role, one he has been alternating with Mark Lawson. However Lawson has given way to Aaron Abrams on the bench.

The Mississauga, Ontario native has been working extremely hard in training and will add extra weight should he come into the game against a formidable Italian front-row.

“Aaron was a late addition to the squad when Garth Cooke had to withdraw. Aaron has worked really hard the past two weeks and he’ll get on the field. His size will be important against a big Italian pack,” suggested Suggitt.

Tighthead Forrest Gainer retains his place for his steady effort in the Wales game and will earn his sixteenth cap against Italy.

“We know Mike and Dan can play together and this week now we’ll look at this combination,” said Suggitt.

“It’s no secret that we are looking at front-row combinations and that tight-head is part of that search.

“Rod Snow isn’t available and Jon Thiel and Garth Cooke are injured, and we’re looking at Aaron Abrams as a possible tight-head. Forrest did well in certain areas of the game against Wales and forwards’ coach John Tait has been working with him this week.”

The Italy-based Overmach Parma lock, Luke Tait, retains his starting berth, however this weekend he will team with Stade Bordelais professional Oliver Atkinson in the absence of Mike Burak, who has returned to his club.

Atkinson, who won his first professional contract this September, last played against the USA in the Churchill Cup in Edmonton and will earn his fifth cap on Saturday against Italy.

“Oliver Atkinson is very athletic and mobile and runs good lines,” Suggitt said.

“This is going to be a real test for Ollie and he will be asked to give every ounce of his energy to this game.”

With Sean-Michael Stephen not fully fit, Aaron Carpenter regains the number eight position at the back of the scrum for the first time this 2006 season.

Carpenter held the number eight position all through the 2005 season but Stephen won that place in 2006 and has held it ever since, though Carpenter has come off the bench as an impact player in most 2006 matches.

He joins flankers Mike Webb and Stan McKeen, who formed a dynamic partnership against Wales in last weekend’s international.

Albi professional Morgan Williams will lead the side for his ninth time from the scrum-half position. This will be his third game against Italy having played against the Azzuri in 2000, and 2003.

Edinburgh Gunner Ander Monro has been restored to the fly-half position he relinquished to Derek Daypuck in the Wales match.

The versatile and hard-tackling Daypuck moves to the centres in place of injured David Spicer.

Monro is expected to take over the kicking duties in the absence of James Pritchard who landed five from five with three penalties and two conversions against Wales.

Daypuck joins Ryan Smith in the centres, with the Montauban professional earning his twenty-ninth cap.

“We lost Spicer with a calf injury and James Pritchard is unavailable,” informed Suggitt.

“Ander is a quality player and a good attacker and we will need his kicking and tactical awareness against Italy.

“We know Italy will be running hard at us in the middle and Derek is a great tackler, so we are looking to him and Ryan Smith to block up the centres.”

The ‘twin towers’ Justin Mensah-Coker, who made an impact coming off the reserve bench against Wales, and Mike Pyke, who scored a try against Wales, will play on the wings.

Pyke is the only starter remaining from Canada’s embarrassing 51-6 loss to Italy two years ago in L’Aquila. An injury in the eighth minute of that game, however, saw him replaced by Ryan Smith.

Pyke now has four tries in a Canadian jersey in thirteen appearances, while Mensah-Coker has three in six matches.

Cardiff professional Ed Fairhurst retains the fullback spot for his thirty-fourth cap.

“We expect Italy to be very physical and aggressive. They will be tough up front and we will have to make sure of our first-up tackles and be equally aggressive,” added Suggitt on Saturday's opposition.

“If we look at it person-to-person, we have a strong back three in Justin Mensah-Coker, Mike Pyke and Ed Fairhurst who can match anyone. We have a good back-row in McKeen, Webb and Carpenter who will be grafting for every ball.

“We have improved a great deal since our last game against Italy in L’Aquila two years ago,” continues Suggitt.

“Of course we want a better performance than last time, but people have to realize that this game on Saturday is against a fully professional team and we’ll just have to see what happens.”

Italy: 15 David Bortolussi, 14 Warren Spragg, 13 Walter Pozzebon, 12 Mirco Bergamasco, 11 Marko Stanojevic; 10 Andrea Scanavacca, 9 Paul Griffen; 8 Sergio Parisse, 7 Mauro Bergamasco, 6 Josh Sole, 5 Marco Bortolami (captain), 4 Santiago Dellape, 3 Carlos Nieto, 2 Fabio Ongaro, 1 Andrea Lo Cicero.
Replacements: 16 Carlo Festuccia, 17 Martin Castrogiovanni, 18 Alessandro Zanni, 19 Maurizio Zaffiri, 20 Simon Picone, 21 Ramiro Pez, 22 Gonzalo Canale.

Canada: 15 Ed Fairhurst, 14 Mike Pyke,13 Ryan Smith, 12 Derek Daypuck, 11 Justin Mensah-Coker, 10 Ander Monro, 9 Morgan Williams, 8 Aaron Carpenter, 7 Stan McKeen, 6 Mike Webb, 5 Oliver Atkinson, 4 Luke Tait, 3 Forrest Gainer, 2 Pat Riordan, 1 Dan Pletch
Replacements: 16 Aaron Abrams,17 Kevin Tkachuk, 18 Mike Pletch, 19 Stu Ault, 20 Adam Kleeberger, 21 Dean Van Camp, 22 DTH Van der Merwe.

Date: Saturday, November 25
Kick-off: 13:30 (12:30 GMT)
Venue: Fontanafredda, near Venice
Weather: Overcast, weak northerly wind, 14 degrees celsius
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Touch judges: Craig Joubert (South Africa), Romain Poite (France)
Television match official: Peter Allan (Scotland)
Assessor: Paul Bridgman (England)