Italy v Wales: Welsh-born Varney back for Azzurri

Pembrokeshire-born Stephen Varney has won five caps for Italy

Welsh-born scrum-half Stephen Varney returns to the Italy team to face Wales after missing the Ireland game with an injury in the warm-up.

Varney is among five changes from the side beaten 48-10 in Dublin.

Also in are wing Mattia Bellini, props Danilo Fischetti and Giosue Zilocchi, and lock Niccolo Cannone.

Gloucester's Varney made his first start for Italy against Wales in Llanelli in December and kept the shirt for the first two Six Nations games.

Italy, coached by former South Africa fly-half Franco Smith, have conceded more than 40 points in each of their matches so far, against France, England and Ireland.

Scrum-half Marcello Violi, utility back Edoardo Padovani, and hooker Oliviero Fabiani come onto the bench with Andrea Lovotti, Marco Riccioni and Marco Lazzaroni dropping down from the starting team.

Italy have not won in the Six Nations since their 22-19 victory in Scotland in 2015.

Wales won 38-18 in the Autumn Nations and 42-0 in their last Six Nations meeting, but the Azzurri held Wales to a 26-15 scoreline on their last trip to Rome.

"We've given Italy huge respect, they've threatened throughout the Six Nations and they've improved," said Wales centre Jonathan Davies, who was captain on Wales' 2019 visit to the Stadio Olympico.

"They have threats at nine and 10, we totally expect to be under the pump at times, but it's about how we react.

"They're looking to play with their heads up and look for mis-matches, so we've got to identify their threats and keep to our structure."

• Italy v Wales: Gareth Davies and Cory Hill selected to start in Rome

• The teenager born in Wales, now playing for Italy

Italy: Jacopo Trulla; Mattia Bellini, Juan Ignacio Brex, Carlo Canna, Monty Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney: Danilo Fischetti, Luca Bigi (capt), Giosue Zilocchi, Niccola Cannone, David Sisi, Sebastian Negri, Johan Meyer, Michele Lamaro.

Replacements: Oliviero Fabiani, Andrea Lovotti, Marco Riccioni, Marco Lazzaroni, Maxime Mbanda, Marcello Violi, Federico Mori, Edoardo Padovani.

Wales lead the Six Nations standings from France, whose game at home to Scotland was postponed because of a coronavirus outbreak in their camp