Italy and France meet at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on Sunday, with Les Bleus looking to get back to winning ways after successive Six Nations defeats - but their recent record in Italy does not make pretty reading...

Team news

France boss Philippe Saint-Andre has ripped up his France side with a mammoth eight changes to the defeat against Wales two weeks ago that all but ended any lingering title hopes.

Morgan Parra, Remi Lamerat and Wesley Fofana are absent due to injury, while Uini Atonio and Brice Dulin miss out altogether. Maxime Mermoz and Gael Fickou make up a new centre partnership in place of Lamerat and Fofana, while Scott Spedding returns at full-back. Noa Nakaitaci makes his Test debut on the left wing in place of injured Sofiane Guitoune, while Loann Goujon makes his first start at No.8 and Nicolas Mas comes in at tighthead prop for the benched Rabah Slimani. Romain Taofifeuna and Damien Chouly drop out of the starting XV, with half-backs Rory Kockott and Jules Plisson also included among the substitutes.

Italy coach Jacques Brunel has made three changes, while confirming skipper Sergio Parisse will start to win his 112th cap - an Italian record as he overtakes Marco Bortolami.

Andrea Masi returns from injury with Enrico Bacchin dropping to the bench, while winger Leonardo Sarto is also fit again and replaces Michele Visentin. Flanker Samuela Vunisa for the unavailable Simone Favaro is the third change.

Key head-to-head

If Italy are to come away with victory, there's a strong chance it could come down to their talisman Parisse. Earning his record 112th cap, Parisse will go nose-to-nose with Goujon - making his first start at No.8 for France. Can the young La Rochelle player cope with the formidable Azzurri captain?

Key stats

* France's back-to-back defeats in rounds two and three mean Les Bleus have won just two of their last Six Nations matches - but they have won 13 of 15 Six Nations ties against Italy.

* However, their last two trips to Italy ended in defeat - a tense 22-21 in 2011, and 23-18 in Rome last year.

* It gets worse for France: They have only won one of their last 12 away games in all tests - a 19-17 victory against Scotland at Murrayfield in last season's Six Nations.

Odds

Despite all this, France are favourites at 8/25 with Unibet, while Italy provide far better value at 51/20. You can also get 6/4 on Nakaitaci scoring a debut try.

Weather

A gloomy day in Rome on Saturday with some light rain expected in the afternoon. Temperatures hovering around 12 or 13 degrees.

Prediction

Italy will make it two from two with a narrow victory.

Philippe Saint-Andre has rung the changes in his France team © Getty Images

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