Pacific Islanders coach Quddus Fielea has dropped captain Mosese Rauluni as one of seven changes to his team to play Italy in Reggio Emilio on Saturday.
Having lost to England and France in consecutive weekends, the match at Stadio Griglio represents the team's best chance of victory.
With tour skippper Rauluni dropping to the bench Tongan Nili Latu will lead the team while Sililo Martens will now wear the number nine shirt in place of the Fijian.
Full-back Kameli Ratuvou, wing Sailosi Tagicakibau and centre Seilala Mapusua return to the backline and will hope to exploit the Italian centres, who were unable to handle the strong running of Australia and Argentina in previous weeks.
Centre Epi Taione retains his place after scoring the Pacific Islanders' try against France, but Leicester centre Seru Rabeni, scorer of the other five-pointer on tour is amongst the replacements.
One person not present in the backline is winger Napoliani Nalanga. The Clermont flyer was expected to be one of the main threats, but lasted only 18 minutes after he was sent off for a late and high tackle on France's Jean-Baptiste Elissade.
Nalanga will be suspended for three weeks and coach Fielea was far from surprised with the verdict.
He said: "It was always going to be difficult to overturn the red card especially given the media outcry over the last few days. I think this was about the best we could have done."
In the pack there are four changes. Justin Va'a returns to the starting line-up at loose-head prop and he will have a key role in negating Italy's powerful scrum.
A week ago Italy tight-head Carlos Nieto out-scrummaged the well-renowned Rodrigo Roncero of Argentina and will be the rock around which Italy's pack is founded.
In the second row Felipe Levi joins Paino Hehea and they will aim to disrupt the Italian line-out as much as Argentina did, but it is captain Latu's ability to secure quick ball at the breakdown that will be key to the Islanders playing the fast, expansive game for which they are famous.
Pacific Islanders: (15-1)
Kameli Ratuvou (Fiji), Sailosi Tagicakibau (Samoa), Seilala Mapusua (Samoa), Epi Taione (Tonga), Vilimoni Delasau (Fiji), Seremaia Bai (Fiji), Sililo Martens (Tonga), Sisa Koyamaibole (Fiji), Nili Latu (Tonga/capt), Viliami Vaki (Tonga), Paino Hehea (Tonga), Filipo Levi (Samoa), Kisi Pulu (Tonga), Tanielu Fuga (Samoa), Justin Va'a (Samoa)
Replacements: Sunia Koto (Fiji), Tonga Leaaetoa (Tonga), Semisi Naevo (Fiji), Hale T Pole (Tonga), Mosese Rauluni (Fiji), Seru Rabeni (Fiji), Gavin Williams (Samoa)
AFP
