Italy coach Nick Mallett has rung the changes for his side's one-off Test against New Zealand on Saturday.

Having given the bulk of his squad a run-out in the two Tests against Australia the former Springboks coach has picked his strongest possible starting XV for the match at AMI Stadium in Christchurch.

Craig Gower is retained at fly-half for the third week in a row as is full-back Luke McLean, while scrum-half Tito Tebaldi will earn his second successive start after impressing off the bench on debut in Canberra and continuing that form in Melbourne.

In all there are eight changes from the side that started in Melbourne last Saturday.

New Zealand-born Kaine Robertson returns on the wing after being rested last week as does veteran midfielder Mirco Bergamasco and his brother, loose forward, Mauro.

The bulk of the changes have come in the forward pack with lock Marco Bortolami and captain and number eight Sergio Parisse the only players kept from last week's game.

Salvatore Perugini, Leonardo Ghiraldini and Ignacio Rouyet form a new front row combination, while Quintin Geldenhuys has been given the nod to partner Bortolami ahead of Carlo Antonio Del Fava.

In the loose forwards Alessandro Zanni links up with Mauro Bergamasco and Parisse.