Italy captain Sergio Parisse vowed that his team will play a more attacking style of rugby when they meet France at the Stade de France in their Six Nations opener here on Saturday.
Italy have a new coach in Jacques Brunel, the former Perpignan boss who believes that his four-year assignment is long enough to push Italy into the top six teams in the world.
The Frenchman is about to take charge of his first match as the Azzurri head coach, having succeeded South African Nick Mallett following the end of the World Cup in October.
Under Mallett, who has a glowing reputation outside Italy despite opinions being split within the country, Italy finished with the wooden spoon three times in four years.
They also failed to qualify for the World Cup quarter-finals and won only three out of 20 Six Nations encounters under Mallett -- all at home.
But Mallett was widely credited with improving Italy physically and tactically so that the newest members of Europe's top rugby table at least became regularly competitive.
Brunel wants more emphasis on attack, and Parisse warned France not to expect the usual Italian tactics of a kicking game based around a solid set-piece, with the backline often singled out as the team's weak link.
"Over the last four years, we've kicked a lot and been blessed with a very organised, but not aggressive, defence," said the Argentinian-born No 8.
"From now on, we want to shift the emphasis more on attack and play in areas of the pitch where we weren't used to playing."
Parisse added: "We will try to keep possession of the ball, to move the ball around to put our opponents in trouble, that's the gameplan that Jacques has asked to produce.
"Brunel's training methods are different from those of Nick (Mallett), their vision of the game is different."
Parisse said the players had been more involved in video sessions and gameplan.
"But it's up to us, and only us, once we're on the pitch, to manage in the best possible way basic scenarios that we've tried over the last week.
"Brunel believes a lot in this squad's potential and we must be convinced that we can reach the goals he's set us.
"Every rugby player enjoys playing with ball in hand and if we want to win we're obliged to take some risks."