Bortolami drops to the bench, with Bourgoins Carlo Antonio Del Fava taking his place in the second row alongside Santiago Dellape.

Centre Mirco Bergamasco, the Azzurris star player in this years RBS 6 Nations Championship, has been handed the captaincy by Berbizier.

Other changes from the side that beat Japan 52-6 last Sunday see flanker Sergio Parisse, who plays his club rugby for Stade Francais, return to the line-up in place of Silvio Orlando while wingers Pablo Canavosio and Michele Sepe are also drafted in.

Canavosio, of Ghial Calvisano, and HDI UR Capitolinas Sepe replace Denis Dallan and Benjamin De Jager, who do not even make the bench.

David Bortolussi keeps his place at full-back.

Italy team to play Fiji:

David Bortolussi (Montpellier); Pablo Canavosio (Ghial Calvisano), Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Andrea Masi (Arix Viadana), Michele Sepe (HDI UR Capitolina); Ramiro Pez (Perpignan), Paul Griffen (Ghial Calvisano); Andrea Lo Cicero (Conad LAquila), Fabio Ongaro (Saracens), Carlos Nieto (Arix Viadana), Santiago Dellape (Agen), Carlo Antonio Del Fava (Bourgoin), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais), Mauro Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Josh Sole (Arix Viadana)

Replacements:
Leonardo Ghiraldini (Ghial Calvisano), Matias Aguero (Arix Viadana), Fabio Staibano (Overmach Parma), Marco Bortolami (Gloucester), Robert Barbieri (Overmach Parma), Simon Picone (Benetton Treviso), Gert Peens (Conad LAquila).