Italy... 3 Australia... 34: Australia captain George Gregan believes the fierce criticism aimed at Australia following successive defeats to Ireland and England helped to improve team-bonding ahead of Saturday's win in Genoa.

"You can go one of two ways in that situation. You can start to fracture and or you can dig yourself out of the hole as a unit and I think that's the option we've chosen," said Gregan.

Australia ran in five tries and could have scored several more had it not been for the waterlogged pitch and driving rain. Toutai Kefu, who scored a deserved try in the 65th minute, said: "The conditions didn't suit, but the other side weren't spoiling and the referee let the play go on pretty freely, and therefore we could throw the ball wide."

ITALY: M Bergamasco; P Vaccari, C Stoica, M Barbini, N Mazzucato; R Pez, JM Queirolo; S Parisse, M Bergamasco, A Persico; M Bortolami, E Pavanello (Treviso); L Castrogiovanni, F Ongaro, A Lo Cicero. Replacements: A Moretti, G Faliva, S Palmer, M Giacheri, A Troncon, C Zanoletti, G Peens.

AUSTRALIA: S Mortlock; WSailor, M Burke, D Herbert, S Staniforth; E Flatley, G Gregan; T Kefu, G Smith, M Cockbain; J Harrison, D Vickerman; P Noriega, A Freier, B Young. Replacements: B Cannon, B Darwin, D Giffin, D Croft, C Whitaker, M Giteau, M Bartholomeusz .

Referee: P De Luca (Arg).