Italy captain Sergio Parisse has been ruled out of Saturday 's RBS 6 Nations clash against Wales at the Stadio Olimpico . In a hammer-blow for the Azzurri , No 8 Parisse has not recovered from a foot injury suffered during last weekend 's 29-0 home loss to France . He will be replaced in the back row by Samuela Vunisa , who moves from openside flanker , with veteran Mauro Bergamasco handed the number seven shirt . Sergio Parisse is tackled by France 's prop Rabah Slimani and centre Gael Fickou at the Olympic Stadium . Parisse grimaces as he leaves the pitch during the Six Nations match between Italy and France . Parisse has not recovered from the foot injury and will miss Italy 's final game of the Six Nations . Leicester hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini will take over the captaincy reins from Parisse as Italy look to thwart Wales ' Six Nations title bid . Other changes made by head coach Jacques Brunel from the France clash see starts for Zebre fly-half Kelly Haimona , who has recovered from an injury that ruled him out of the France encounter , and long-serving prop Martin Castrogiovanni . Italy team : L McLean ( Sale ) ; L Sarto ( Zebre ) , L Morisi ( Treviso ) , A Masi ( Wasps ) , G Venditti ( Zebre ) ; K Haimona ( Zebre ) , E Gori ( Treviso ) ; M Rizzo ( Leicester ) , L Ghiraldini ( Leicester , capt ) , M Castrogiovanni ( Toulon ) , G Biagi ( Zebre ) , J Furno ( Newcastle ) , F Minto ( Treviso ) , M Bergamasco ( Zebre ) , S Vunisa ( Zebre ) . Replacements : A Manici ( Zebre ) , A De Marchi ( Sale ) , D Chistolini ( Zebre ) , Q Geldenhuys ( Zebre ) , R Barbieri ( Leicester ) , G Palazzani ( Zebre ) , L Orquera ( Zebre ) , E Bacchin ( Treviso ) . And there is also a chance in the front row for Ghiraldini 's Leicester colleague Michele Rizzo , who replaces the injured Matias Aguero . Highly-experienced forwards Quintin Geldenhuys and Robert Barbieri , meanwhile , are on the bench . Saturday 's encounter will be a third home game for Italy in this season 's tournament , but they have so far scored just three points at home , going down to France and also being beaten 26-3 by Ireland . They have , though , beaten Wales twice from seven previous Six Nations starts in Rome , even if the Azzurri - especially without Parisse - go into battle as huge underdogs . Wales are currently third in the table on points difference behind leaders England and second-placed Ireland , and realistically they need to better their record Six Nations win in Rome - 38-8 , 10 years ago - to maintain hopes of a third Six Nations title during the past four years .
Italy captain suffered foot injury during last weekend 's 29-0 loss to France . He will be replaced in the back row by Leonardo Ghiraldini against Wales . Samuela Vunisa will take over the captaincy reins from Parisse .