The Azzurri have been soundly beaten in each of their away trips so far this campaign, but came within five points of a first-ever victory over England in their only other game at the Stadio Olimpico.

Former Perpignan boss Brunel has tried to implement a more attacking game since taking over from Nick Mallett, but he knows the team haven't quite adapted to the new style just yet.

To take on the Scots Brunel has made six changes to his team with talismanic prop Martin Castrogiovanni fit again after a rib injury.

Elsewhere Giovanbattista Venditti returns on the wing, Tommaso Benvenuti, who scored against England in Rome, comes in at centre while Edoardo Gori takes the scrum-half duties.

As well as Castrogiovanni up front, Marco Bortolami and Robert Barbieri are in to shore up the pack, and Brunel has urged his team to show more confidence against Andy Robinson's side.

He said: "We have spirit but we lack certainty in our game, we're still beneath the bar we set ourselves," he said.

"We're still too timid, we've got too much fear, we need to find synthesis between the forwards and the backs.

"But I'm asking for a slightly different organisation and we still need to oil the cogs.

"But there you go, we've the right spirit. It's just that there isn't much time as we only have six test matches before the next Six Nations tournament.

"We don't have the time to try things out if that doesn't work, we have to move on quickly to something constructive."

Brunel's Scottish counterpart Robinson has endured a hectic week after it was revealed that backs coach Gregor Townsend will take over as head coach at Glasgow next season.

Robinson has more immediate issues with Scotland having won just twice in 14 RBS 6 Nations games since he took the reins in 2009.

And having made just one change for the clash in Rome with the return of Nick De Luca for the injured Lee Jones, Robinson is confident his side can cut out the defensive mistakes which cost them in a 32-14 defeat to Ireland last time out.

He said: "We've worked well this week. There have been a number of things we needed to sort out.

"Our defence - the opportunities we gave Ireland in the first half, the softness of the scores - was hugely disappointing. It really undermined our performance.

"A lot of our attacking shape was very good. We were able to create things, it's about taking them. When you do get your chances and you do get three points or five points, it's about making sure the opposition don't go up the other end of the field and score. That's what we got wrong."