New Cardiff Blues Number Eight Manoa Vosawai could not stop Italy falling to a 25-14 defeat to Fiji in their one-off Test in Suva on Saturday.
Former NSW Waratahs and current Crusaders winger Nemani Nadolo was the star performer for Fiji as he scored 15 points.
Italy led 7-5 at the ANZ National Stadium as Vosawai, who returned to the country of his birth, started in a pack that was awarded a 10th-minute penalty try, given for repeated collapsing of the Fiji scrum.
After the break, Dominiko Waqaniburotu put Fiji ahead for the first time and two penalties from Nadolo stretched the lead before a second Italian penalty try.
But Napolioni Nalaga killed off the Italians with the home side's third try two minutes from the end.
Vosawai and the Azzurri now play Samoa in Apia on June 14 and Japan in Tokyo on June 21.