Italy and Argentina will clash for the first time in two years at the Stadio Bentegodi in Verona on Saturday with the hosts looking to return to winning ways against their Latin rivals.

The Pumas hold a significant advantage in the all-time stats having claimed victory in 10 of their 16 encounters including a 22-14 win in their last meeting in Torino back in 2008 where the boot of centre Felipe Contepomi proved pivotal.

Italy's last victory over the Pumas came the same year with the Azzurri claiming a narrow 13-12 success in Cordoba but they have not beaten their Latin rivals on home soil since their 23-19 victory in Piacenza in 1998.

Italy v Argentina All-time record: Played: 16, Argentina won 10, Italy won 5, Drawn 1.

Biggest winning margin: Arg: 30 (36-6 Rome, 2002), Ita: 13 (19-6 Rovigo, 1978).

Highest score: Arg: 39 (39-22 Genova, 2005), Ita: 31 (31-25, East London, 1995).

Most tries: Arg: 5 (36-6, Rome, 2002) Ita: 3 (31-25, East London, 1995 and 30-29, Cordoba, 2005).

Longest winning sequence: Arg: 3 (2001-2005, 2005-2007); Ita: 1.

Most points (individual): Ita: D Dominguez 58; Arg: FJ Todeschini 67.

Most tries (individual): Ita: GJ Canale 2; Arg: D Albanese 3.

Most points in a Test: Ita: 21, D Dominguez (East London, 1995) ; Arg: 30, FJ Todeschini (Salta, 2005) .

Download now and enjoy all the pleasures of the sporting world from the comfort of your own living room. Enjoy your sports on your time - Watch what you want, when you want! Get Instant Access to all sports channels over the Internet. No download limits, no bandwidth limits and no fee per download! Everything you ever wanted is right here!

Azzurri face Pumas without Bergamasco

Italy will tackle Argentina in Verona on Saturday without flanker Mauro Bergamasco after the Stade Francais openside succumbed to a shoulder problem.

His place in the back-row is taken by Roberto Barbieri, who is joined there by fit-again skipper Sergio Parisse and the reliable Alessandro Zanni.

Craig Gower and Tito Tebaldi continue at halfback while Benetton Treviso centre Tommaso Benvenuti will win his first cap on the wing.

With the Pumas selecting a typically heavyweight pack for the game, Nick Mallett has responded by calling on scrummaging powerhouses Martin Castrogiovanni and Salvatore Perugini in the front-row and a brawny second-row of Quintin Geldenhuys and Carlo del Fava.

Felipe Contepomi will captain Argentina and start at fly-half in the absence of the injured Juan Hernandez.

Hernandez, a key player for the Pumas, injured a hamstring playing for Racing Metro and will miss all of Argentina's November tour which also features tests against France and Ireland. Contepomi and outside centre Gonzalo Tiesi are the only regular 2007 World Cup backs in the Pumas side named by coach Santiago Phelan.

Lock Patricio Albacete also misses the tour through injury with relative newcomer Mariano Galarza lining up alongside Biarritz's Manuel Carizza in the second-row.