Italy coach Jaques Brunel has made six changes to the squad that lost against Wales in Cardiff last weekend for their final RBS Six Nations game against Scotland in Rome on Saturday.

Wales kept their Grand Slam mission on course after seeing off a determined Italy outfit at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday.

Wales are optimistic captain Sam Warburton will be fit to lead his team’s RBS 6 Nations title bid against France next Saturday.

The 20-year-old landed four penalties and a tough conversion, following Charlie Hodgson’s second charge-down try in as many weeks, as England rallied from 15-6 down to claim their second win of the championship.

The temperatures in Rome may have plummeted but England captain Chris Robshaw has warned Italy his men will be prepared to fight fire with fire in today’s RBS 6 Nations clash.

Italy coach Jacques Brunel has made two changes to the side that lost the RBS 6 Nations opener against France for the game against England in Rome on Saturday.

Vive la France.

There might well be a new broom brushing away the cobwebs of the Marc Lièvremont era but looking at Philippe Saint-André’s first XV as France coach, it’s not immediately clear if all that much has changed.

WALES captain Sam Warburton will return to action when the Cardiff Blues launch their Heineken Cup campaign in Paris tonight.

Andrea Masi returns at full-back in Italy’s only change for Sunday’s World Cup showdown with Ireland at Otago Stadium.

ITALY coach Nick Mallett isn’t holding out much hope for victory against Australia tomorrow.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made 11 changes to his starting line-up for Saturday’s World Cup warm-up match against Scotland at Murrayfield.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has named a 30-man squad for the World Cup in New Zealand.

OH, how a few performances can change a team.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made seven changes to his side to face France in Saturday's RBS Six Nations match at the Stadio Flaminio.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made three changes to his side to face Wales in Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations match at the Stadio Flaminio.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made four changes to the side that lost their RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland for Saturday’s game against England at Twickenham.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has handed Benetton Treviso’s Kristopher Burton the number 10 shirt for Saturday’s RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland at Rome’s Flaminio Stadium.

JONNY WILKINSON lost a battle of the drop kicks as Toulon were beaten in Paris last night but Munster were put on warning ahead of their Heineken Cup showdown in the south of France next Sunday.

JOE SCHMIDT’S European euphoria was dampened last night by confirmation that Leinster will travel to Saturday’s clash against Saracens at Wembley without hamstrung Brian O’Driscoll.

Out-half Jonathan Sexton will start for Leinster against Racing-Metro in Pool 2 of the Heineken Cup at The RDS tomorrow afternoon (1.30pm).

ENGLAND are missing a trick in not following France’s lead and looking long-term towards the 2011 World Cup, according to Les Bleus defence coach David Ellis.

Italy welcome back Gloucester lock Marco Bortolami for the RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales in Cardiff on February 23.

NICK MALLETT claims Italy are beginning to enjoy the benefits of shedding their inferiority complex.

Alessandro Troncon will earn his 100th Test cap when he lines up for Italy against Portugal in the World Cup Pool C match at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday.

Italy team to play Wales in the RBS Six Nations Championship at the Stadio Flaminio on Saturday, March 10 has been announced.

The Barbarians will field a team selected from seven countries, including Ireland's David Humphreys and Bob Casey, when they tackle an England XV in Sunday’s Gartmore Challenge match at Twickenham.

ENGLAND lock Steve Borthwick has a degree in economics and politics from Bath University - so his reputation as a workaholic rugby scholar should be of little surprise.

Italy coach John Kirwan has made one change to his 25-man squad for their final two RBS 6 Nations games against England and France.

CLIVE WOODWARD yesterday announced his northern hemisphere squad for the Tsunami rugby aid match against the southern hemisphere at Twickenham on March 5.

Clive Woodward today announced his northern hemisphere squad for the Tsunami rugby aid match against the southern hemisphere at Twickenham on March 5.

FRANCE’S second-half revival to beat England on Sunday has not stopped coach Bernard Laporte making several changes.

BARBARIANS coach Bob Dwyer yesterday gave an interesting glimpse into the future of Australian rugby by selecting Wallabies winger Lote Tuqiri at outside centre and Matt Giteau at fly-half for tomorrow’s Gartmore Challenge against New Zealand at Twickenham.

Italy coach John Kirwan has made just the one change for the Azzurri’s crunch Pool D game against Canada next week.

John Kirwan today made 14 changes to the Italy side that was thumped by New Zealand on Saturday and urged his new-look side: “Our World Cup starts now.”

Italy coach John Kirwan will find out in Edinburgh on Saturday whether his intensive World Cup preparations are likely to pay worthwhile dividends.

ROMA centre Giovanni Raineri has been handed the fly-half role for Italy’s daunting Six Nations task against England at Twickenham on Saturday.

Roma centre Giovanni Raineri has been handed the fly-half role for Italy's Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham.

Diego Dominguez has been ruled out of Italy’s Six Nations clash with England at Twickenham on February 17.