Italy are still chasing their first win on the road since joining the Six Nations in 2000, and captain Marco Bortolami has targeted Saturdays clash at the Millennium Stadium as the ideal opportunity to end that search.

But after a tumultuous campaign, marked by the departure of head coach Mike Ruddock and comprehensive defeats to England and Ireland, Wales cannot afford to let Italy break their duck in Cardiff.

With the consistency Italy have shown, we have shown the opposite, said Charvis.

We played somewhere near our potential against Scotland - but against England and Ireland it is fair to say that not everyone had their best days ever in a red shirt.

But its not exactly doom and gloom. There are things we identified in the England game and the Ireland game we are able to correct - and we have worked hard on it in training this week.

Italys forwards are organised and well-disciplined - but as long as you can gain parity with them at the set-piece and not allow them to become dominant, you have a chance to get the result you want in the game.

In the end, the only way to get that consistency is to score more points every week.

Italys only successes in the tournament have been at Romes Stadio Flaminio - against Scotland, in 2000 and 2004, and Wales in 2003.

Wales coach Scott Johnson has described Italy as the great improvers - and Charvis believes they are due that major scalp.

They have played very well this year, and it is just a matter of time before they claim that scalp away from home, said Charvis.

They have shown their potential before in beating us and Scotland at home. Its just they need to be able to hold it up for a series of games in a tournament.

They have shown real consistency this season - and youd hope for Italian rugby that they can continue that through the summer, the autumn, next winter and into the World Cup.

If they can maintain that and keep developing and keep building they will be an improved side.