After recovering from a shoulder injury which ruled him out of the 2011 RBS 6 Nations, 32-year-old Bergamasco started three of Italy’s four matches at the World Cup in New Zealand where they went out in the group stages.

And Bergamasco, who is currently Italy’s third most-capped player of all time, has no intention of following departing coach Nick Mallett out of the international game, with former Perpignan boss Jacques Brunel now at the head of the Azzurri.

“I’ve already spoken to Jacques Brunel since he took charge, and we have had a couple of training camps to see what he wants from us,” said Bergamasco who has played 88 times for Italy.

“We’d obviously crossed paths before while he was coaching at Perpignan and I was playing for Stade Français.

“But I’d never really had the chance to speak to him, so it’s been good to hear his vision for what he wants from Italy.

“He’s very ambitious about what he wants from us and we are all excited about what he’s bringing to the squad.

“We were disappointed with the World Cup, we played a really good first half against Australia but Ireland’s win against them made things difficult, and it didn’t work out for us.

“We know we can play better, and I think we will be better in the Six Nations.”

Bergamasco, who has joined Aironi after an eight-year spell with Stade Français, has seen several Italy coaches come and go.

And with Brunel the third Frenchman to take charge of the Azzurri since Bergamasco made his debut in 1998, after Georges Coste and Pierre Berbizier, the flanker believes the new coach will bring something very different to his predecessors.

He added: “Each coach we have brings something different.

“When Pierre Berbizier came in he brought us a lot of discipline which I think we really needed.

“Nick Mallett was able to then build on that and Jacques will offer something different again.

“It was important for me to get back into club rugby after a few weeks without a club after the World Cup.

“I’m desperate to get back into action for Aironi, I feel like I am ready mentally, it’s just about getting match fit.”