The forward equalled Alessandro Troncons record of 83 caps for the Azzurri in Saturdays 19-3 defeat by Ireland but has already announced he will end his 14-year international career after Saturdays match.

Checchinato, who sustained an injury to a bone in his left foot during the game with the Irish, was named in the provisional starting line-up for the match with Wales but Roberto Mandelli stands by to fill the number eight jersey in case Checchinato does not make it.

Fabio Ongaro will start as hooker although it is not clear whether Stefano Saviozzi or Carlo Festuccia will deputise on the bench.

It was Festuccia whose line-out throw allowed Malcolm OKelly to score a game-changing try for Ireland in Dublin.

Italy stayed in Ireland ahead of their match in Cardiff but departed for Wales on Wednesday.

Ongaro and Santiago Dellape both needed treatment for their respective injuries but should play on Saturday.

Italy team to face Wales in Saturday's RBS 6 Nations match at Millennium Stadium: G Canale (Treviso); N Mazzucato (Calvisano), A Masi (Viadana), C Stoica (Montpellier), D Dallan (Treviso); R De Marigny (Overmach Parma), P Griffen (Calvisano); A Lo Cicero (Lazio), F Ongaro (Treviso), M Castrogiovanni (Calvisano), S Dellape (Treviso), M Bortolami (Padova), A De Rossi (Calvisano, capt), A Persico (Leeds), C Checchinato (Treviso) OR R Mandelli (Calvisano)
Replacements: S Saviozzi (Treviso) OR C Festuccia (SK Gran Parma), S Perugini (Calvisano), C Del Fava (Overmach Parma, S Orlando (Treviso), S Picone (Treviso), R Wakarua (Brescia), Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais)