The forwards remain largely unchanged, but four players have been dropped in the scrum, while Xavier Garbajosa (thigh) is out.

He is replaced by 34-year-old Jean-Luc Sadourny who will win his 69th cap as Laporte looks to cut out the problems which blighted France in Dublin.

Scrum-half Fabien Galthie returns after a one-match suspension in place of Philippe Carbonneau, with centres Richard Dourthe and Franck Comba - who did not even make the squad - replaced by debutant Sebastien Bonetti and the returning Thomas Lombard.

Stade Francais' mercurial left-winger Christophe Dominici also makes a long-awaited return to the starting line-up after a spell out of the game because of personal problems.

Dominici, who shot to fame after a sparkling performance in France's victory over New Zealand in the 1999 World Cup semi-final, came on as a second-half replacement against Ireland.

Italy too, predictably, had a poor start to their second campaign in the Six Nations.

Poor second-half performances - at home against Ireland and away against England - have left them nursing two comprehensive defeats.

A fortnight ago, England amassed a Five/Six Nations record number of points against a side missing their two key players.

Diego Dominguez, the Italians' linchpin, playmaker and record points scorer, missed both the opening games through injury but has been named in the team for Rome.

And scrum-half Alessandro Troncon will return for the Azzurri after the former captain missed the defeat at Twickenham following a red card in the Ireland game, awarded for his punch on Peter Stringer.

Troncon's experience will be crucial as he links with a back division that wilted under considerable pressure from Jonny Wilkinson and the rest of England's ruthless backline.