FLORENCE: Veteran Force halfback Brett Sheehan will make his maiden start for the Wallabies as Australia looks to continue its unbeaten run against Italy on Saturday.

Six years after coming off the bench in his first Test, Sheehan, 33, will earn his seventh cap in the starting line-up as one of four changes made to the Wallabies side that beat England at Twickenham last week.

Impact … Brett Sheehan earns a seventh cap. Credit:Getty Images

Drew Mitchell joins Nick Cummins on the wing, replacing Digby Ioane, Stephen Moore will start at hooker in place of Tatafu Polota-Nau and Scott Higginbotham returns from his two-Test suspension to start at blindside breakaway, with Dave Dennis moving to the bench.

Australia have won the 14 previous Test matches against the Azzurri, including last year's World Cup pool match and the 2010 spring tour Test. Coach Robbie Deans has sought to freshen the side's legs at the halfway point of its four-Test European tour but insisted it was not a comment on the threat posed by Italy.