Australia v Italy: Teams

Both Italy and Australia will use Saturday's second Test to field experimental line-ups, after making sweeping changes from the first game in Canberra last week.

After watching his side win 31-8 last week, Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has opted to make eight changes of personnel and three positional moves as he takes a look at a different line-up.

Azzurri coach Nick Mallet has also made wholesale changes by changing ten of his starting XV from the first Test.

With 14 Tests on the schedule this year, Deans wants a look at a few new faces, and he has rested skipper Stirling Mortlock for Saturday's clash in Melbourne.

18-year-old prodigy James O'Connor keeps his place but has an even bigger role to play as he takes up the kicking duties with star fly-half Matt Giteau also rested.

Centre pairing

A new centre pairing of Ryan Cross and Quade Cooper will take on the Italians, while winger Peter Hynes, flankers David Pocock and Peter Kimlin and front rowers Ben Alexander, Tatafu Polota-Nau and Pek Cowan all come in.

George Smith will captain the side, and move to number eight, while Berrick Barnes has been switched to fly-half and Dean Mumm to lock.

Smith is the experienced man in the line-up with 97 Test caps under his belt, while the rest of the line-up can only muster 101 between them.

Western Force prop Cowan will be the 15th player to be handed his Wallabies debut under Deans' leadership, and despite the second string line-up the Aussie coach is still confident of a win.

"We believe in the whole group. That's why we selected them," Deans said.

"The guys coming in are good to go. Most of them showed what they could do last weekend in Canberra, when they added to our performance after coming on from the bench.

"The changes should not be seen as a slight on the blokes who have missed out after last weekend. It's quite the opposite. We were happy with the way the guys played."

Ten changes

Mallet has made even more changes after swapping ten of his starting XV, as he wants to make sure all 30 of his squad get a run-out before their final match of the tour against New Zealand next week.

Former Australian rugby league international Craig Gower does keep his place at fly-half though, as he looks to build-up his experience at the position.

Gower is just one of five to keep their place after last week's loss though, with Mallett insisting the wholesale changes were pre-planned before the start of the tour.

Fellow Australia-born player, full-back Luke McLean, also keeps his place, with Gower forming a new half-back pairing with Tito Tebaldi.

Gower only started playing rugby union two years ago and is hoping to keep on improving in his second game against the Wallabies.

"If I can do that I'm happy with that," he said.

"I don't expect myself to come out and be a top fly-half after four or five games. It's going to be a process, I don't know how long - I might not even get there."

Australia: 15-James O'Connor, 14-Lachie Turner, 13-Ryan Cross, 12-Quade Cooper, 11-Peter Hynes, 10-Berrick Barnes, 9-Luke Burgess, 8-George Smith (captain), 7-David Pocock, 6-Peter Kimlin, 5-Dean Mumm, 4-James Horwill, 3-Ben Alexander, 2-Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1-Pek Cowan

Replacements: 16-Stephen Moore, 17-Benn Robinson, 18-Nathan Sharpe, 19-Phil Waugh, 20-Josh Valentine, 21-Matt Giteau, 22-Adam Ashley-Cooper.

Italy: 15-Luke McLean, 14-Giulio Rubini, 13-Gonzalo Canale, 12-Gonzalo Garcia, 11-Alberto Sgarbi, 10-Craig Gower, 9-Tito Tebaldi, 8-Sergio Parisse (captain), 7-Simone Favaro, 6-Jean Francois Montauriol, 5-Marco Bortolami, 4-Tommaso Reato, 3-Fabio Staibano, 2-Franco Sbaraglini, 1-Matias Aguero.

Replacements: 16-Leonardo Ghiraldini, 17-Salvatore Perugini, 18-Quintin Geldenhuys, 19-Alessandro Zanni, 20-Giulio Toniolatti, 21-Kris Burton, 22-Roberto Quartaroli.