Second row Del Fava was forced off in the 24^th minute of Aironi’s 22-6 loss to Leinster at the Stadio Zaffanella on Friday night with an injured right knee and is expected to be out for up four weeks – completely ruling him out of Italy’s up-coming matches with Wales in Cardiff and Scotland in Rome.

Furno, with only one cap to his name, was given the nod by head coach Jacques Brunel a week after putting in a man-of-the-match performance against the Newport-Gwent Dragons in the PRO12.

He was seen as the coming man in the Italian engine room by former Azzurri coach Nick Mallett and made his debut under the tutelage of the South African against Scotland last year.

Melbourne-born Furno came off the bench in the 51^st minute of Italy’s 23-12 loss at Murrayfield, replacing Del Fava, and got more experience playing in his national colours for Italy A at the Churchill Cup last summer.

Although he failed to make the World Cup squad Furno’s club form since has been solid and he has made 11 appearances in the PRO12 this season.