Last year, England just squeezed past Italy 17-12 in Rome and only a last-gasp drop goal from Ronan O'Gara prevented Nick Mallett's men chalking up their first Six Nations defeat of Ireland last week.

While England's team is unchanged from the team that defeated Wales 26-19, the starting XV is almost unrecognisable from the side that was given such a fright at the Stadio Flaminio.

Mark Cueto is the only survivor from the backline while only four players remain in the forwards after Martin Johnson revamped England's style of play.

But the England team manager is adamant the result comes before the performance against a team he expects to make life very difficult for his side.

He said: "Number one is: we win. Number two is: we don't have any serious injuries. Number three is: it's a good game.

"They (Italy) should have won last week. They can play. They keep hold of the ball and put you under pressure and that's the game.

"They do that well and we are under no illusions that this is the toughest test we can play this week.

"People say we didn't play well against them last year but they are a good side and they are a different challenge."

The last time Italy visited Twickenham they paid the price for Mallett's ill-fated experiment of playing flanker Mauro Bergamasco at scrum-half going down 36-11.

That has not stopped the former South Africa coach shuffling his half-backs once again with Kris Burton swapping places with Luciano Orquera on the bench while injured scrum-half Edoardo Gori is replaced by Pablo Canavosio.

In another injury-enforced change Valerio Bernabo comes in for Josh Sole in the back row while Carlo Del Fava is preferred to Santiago Dellape in the second row.

Italy's chances depend largely on how their set piece functions with one of the most intriguing clashes coming in the front row where Leicester teammates Dan Cole and Martin Castrogiovanni start against each other.

But despite England's 100per cent record against the Italians, tighthead prop Castrogiovanni is adamant they won't be intimidated running out at Twickenham.

He said: "We don't go on the pitch thinking: they're England, they're a great team and we're at Twickenham.

"We hope to play our game and give our best and if they're better than us than so be it.

"We go on the pitch to win and we don't respect anyone too much."