With three autumn Test matches against Australia, Argentina and the Pacific Islands on the horizon Italy's Mauro Bergamasco is looking forward to seeing how he and his international colleagues perform under rugby's experimental law variations (ELVs).

As an open-side flanker Bergamasco is expected to push the limits of the laws at the breakdown and his contest with the likes of Australia's George Smith and the Pacific Islands' Akapusi Qera will have a big influence of who finishes as winner.

So far the Stade Francais player has not been wholly convinced by what he has seen of the ELVs since their introduction to northern hemisphere rugby this season.

"I think the new laws have been interpreted well," said Bergamasco.

"From my point of view in France it is true that the speed has increased, but there have been some bad aspects too.

"Look at the one for penalty kicks. The interpretation at the breakdown is particularly strict and leads to a lot of confusion in the matches.

"Then there are the other rules, which the referees interpret individually. But players need the ability to adapt to them on the field."

The first two matches against Australia and Argentina are currently occupying the 28 year-old's mind, with the unknown qualities of the Pacific Islands rounding off their three-Test series.

Bergamasco feels that both will present different challenges, with Australia preferring an expansive game plan, whilst Argentina, like Italy, are traditionally keener to mix it in the forwards.

"They will all be hard. Australia is one of the best teams in the world and we will have to work hard on expanding our play in the three-quarters. They've got a lot of strong points, but also one or two weaknesses, we will have to try and exploit.

"Argentina are more of a limited team and we will have to work hard just to get the ball and keep hold of it. Their forwards are their strength, but they have good backs who we know well from the French league, like Juan Martin Hernandez who plays with me at Stade Francais.

More than anything though Bergamasco, who will be hoping to have passed the 60-cap mark by the end of the series, wants to continue the progress the team has made under Nick Mallett during the Six Nations and summer tour.

"These matches obviously give us the chance to show the strength of the Italy team and how much work Nick (Mallett) has done. It gives us the chance to see how we have evolved and how the new players can fit into the system."

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