Italy captain Sergio Parisse has insisted that victory against Samoa next month will boost confidence in the camp ahead of the visits of Australia and South Africa later in the autumn.
The Azzurri have failed to win a Test match since beating Fiji 37-31 in Cremona last year and emerged winless from a tour of the South Pacific, including a defeat at the hands of Samoa.
However, Parisse is hoping to avenge that result and build momentum ahead of the clashes with the Wallabies and Springboks.
He told reporters: "For us it was a heavy defeat away to Samoa and it's not going to be necessarily any easier this time.
"They're a strong side, so it's crucial for us to start this Test series off on a positive note before the more difficult challenge of taking on Argentina and South Africa."
Italy are currently five places behind Samoa in the IRB world rankings.
