ITALY go into tomorrow’s match at Trafalgar Park needing a victory to keep their quarter-final hopes alive.

Coach Nick Mallett has picked an experienced pack that features a hardened front row of Leonardo Ghiraldini between props Martin Castrogiovanni and Salvatore Perugini, the aim being to subdue the USA forwards.

In the backs, Mallett has recalled his first-choice centre pairing of Gonzalo Canale and Gonzalo Garcia, with Tommaso Benvenuti, the two-try hero of the win over Russia, back on one wing and Mirco Bergamasco on the other.

Captain Sergio Parisse and Mauro Bergamasco keep their places in the team.

ITALY: Masi; Benvenuti, Canale, Garcia, Mirco Bergamasco; Orquera, Semenzato; Perugini, Ghiraldini, Castrogiovanni; Geldenhuys, van Zyl; Zanni, Mauro Bergamasco, Parisse.

USA: Wyles; Ngwenya, Emerick, Suniula, Paterson; Suniula, Petri; MacDonald, Biller, Moeakiola; van der Giessen, Smith; Stanfill Clever, Johnson.