However, to keep hold of the trophy they won so convincingly last year, Bernard Laportes troops will need to thrash John Kirwans Italian outfit and hope Grand Slam-chasing Wales slip up at home to the Irish in Cardiff.

Whatever happens, France will want to finish in style at the Stadio Flaminio having flattered to deceive for much of the tournament.

They were fortunate to eke out a win over Scotland in their opening match and were far from convincing in beating England.

Les Bleus then suffered the loss that ended their hopes of recording a second successive Grand Slam - defeated 24-18 at home by Wales.

They battled back with a valiant victory - and a much-improved performance - in Dublin though to rekindle their title dreams.

Laporte had been hoping to stick with the same team that defeated the Irish but he was forced to bring in David Marty to replace centre Benoit Baby after the 21-year-old was handed a four-week suspension for headbutting Ireland's Brian O'Driscoll.

For Italy, the match represents their final chance of avoiding the wooden spoon.

The Azzurri produced a decent performance against Ireland and lost narrowly to Scotland but are still sitting on a record of four defeats from four.

Kirwan has made three changes to the side that was defeated 39-7 by England in their last match.

Second row Santiago Dellape replaces Carlo-Antonio Del Fava, Treviso centre Simon Picone plays in place of Matteo Barbini and winger Kaine Robertson has also been drafted in, with Roberto Pedrazzi dropping to the bench.

Italy:

G Peens (L'Aquila); A Masi (Viadana), S Picone (Treviso), L Nitoglia (Calvisano), K Robertson (Viadana); L Orquera (Padova), A Troncon (Treviso); A Lo Cicero (L'Aquila), F Ongaro (Treviso), S Perugini (Calvisano), M Bortolami (Narbonne), S Dellape (Agen), D Dal Maso (Treviso), A Persico (Agen), S Parisse (Treviso).

Replacements: R Pedrazzi (Viadana), L Castrogiovanni (Calvisano), CA Del Fava (Parma), S Orlando (Treviso), P Griffen (Calvisano), C Festuccia (Gran Parma), R De Marigny (Parma).

France:

J Laharrague (Brive), C Dominici (Stade Français), D Marty (Perpignan),Y Jauzion (Toulouse), C Heymans (Stade Toulousain), Y Delaigue (Castres), D Yachvili (Biarritz); Y Nyanga (Béziers), J Bonnaire (Bourgoin), S Betsen (Biarritz), J Thion (Biarritz), F Pelous (Stade Toulousain, capitaine), N Mas (Perpignan), S Bruno (Sale), S Marconnet (Stade Français).

Replacements: W Servat (Stade Toulousain), P De Villiers (Stade Français), P Pape (Bourgoin), G Lamboley (Stade Toulousain), P Mignoni (Clermont), F Michalak (Stade Toulousain), D Trailles (Biarritz).