Two of Warriors’ new signings, Hame Faiva and Renato Giammarioli, will start for Italy in their international against Portugal in Lisbon on Saturday.
Hooker Faiva and number eight Giammarioli will officially become Warriors players on July having confirmed their moves from Benetton and Zebre respectively.
Faiva will win his fifth cap in Lisbon and Giammarioli his sixth having last played for the Azzurri against New Zealand in last year’s Autumn Internationals.
The match against Portugal will be Italy’s first since their sensational last-gasp victory over Wales in Cardiff in the Guinness Six Nations in March.
Italy will also play Romania in Bucharest on July 1 and Georgia in Batumi on July 10 which will provide Faiva and Giammarioli with opportunities to become the first Warriors players to be capped by Italy since prop Alejandro Moreno 20 years ago.