George North and Nick Tompkins return to the starting line up in the centres.
Captain Dafydd Jenkins is named in the second row alongside Adam Beard. Alex Mann comes back into the Wales XV at blind-side flanker.
Tight-head prop Dillon Lewis makes his first start of the 2024 Championship.
Among the replacements tight-head prop Harri O’Connor is in line to win his first senior international cap. Kemsley Mathias and Kieran Hardy are named in the match day 23 as front row and scrum half cover respectively.
Gatland said: “This is an important game for us. We definitely don’t want to finish bottom and the squad is hungry to win.
“Italy have quality players throughout the side and have been good at taking opportunities when they get them to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
“We’re excited and will step up and welcome the challenge ahead. We’re still looking for that 80 minute performance and have spoken about needing to be better in the big moments especially.
“We understand that external pressure and expectation comes with international rugby. It’s about embracing that, continuing the hard work and fronting up in training to go out there and be accurate and disciplined on Saturday.”
Wales senior men’s team to play Italy at Principality Stadium, Cardiff in the 2024 Guinness Six Nations, Saturday 16 March KO 2.15pm GMT. Live on BBC and S4C.
15 Cameron Winnett (Cardiff Rugby – 4 caps)
14 Josh Adams (Cardiff Rugby – 58 caps)
13 George North (Ospreys – 120 caps)
12 Nick Tompkins (Saracens – 35 caps)
11 Rio Dyer (Dragons – 18 caps)
10 Sam Costelow (Scarlets – 11 caps)
9 Tomos Williams (Cardiff Rugby – 57 caps);
1 Gareth Thomas (Ospreys – 29 caps)
2 Elliot Dee (Dragons – 50 caps)
3 Dillon Lewis (Harlequins – 56 caps)
4 Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter Chiefs – 16 caps) Captain
5 Adam Beard (Ospreys – 55 caps)
6 Alex Mann (Cardiff Rugby – 4 caps)
7 Tommy Reffell (Leicester Tigers – 17 caps)
8. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons – 47 caps)
Replacements
16 Evan Lloyd (Cardiff Rugby – 1 cap)
17 Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets – 1 cap)
18 Harri O’Connor (Scarlets – uncapped)
19 Will Rowlands (Racing 92 – 32 caps)
20 Mackenzie Martin (Cardiff Rugby – 2 caps)
21 Kieran Hardy (Scarlets – 20 caps)
22 Ioan Lloyd (Scarlets – 6 caps)
23 Mason Grady (Cardiff Rugby – 10 caps)
