When Keith Wood and his men step out onto the pitch of Rome's Stadio Flaminio, they will be following in some famous footsteps, and not all of them human. Peerless soccer-idol Diego Armanda Maradona, rock guitarist Santana and current World Champion showjumper, Rodrgio Pessoa, complete with his horse, Lianos, have all strutted their stuff at the Flaminio.
Originally built for the 1960 Olympics, the Flaminio has proved itself an extremely useful "utility" stadium. Standing just across the river Tiber not far from the city's most famous stadium, the Stadio Olimpico, the Flaminio has the priceless advantage of being closer to the centre of the Eternal City than the Olimpico.
Its central position and its cosy dimensions have long made it a favourite of rock promoters (Santana is just one of many famous names to have played there) and of those in need of a medium-sized venue that is well connected to the city's public transport system (these days, there is a tram that drops you right at the door). Although the stadium is home to Rome based third division side, Lodigiani, it often doubles up as a rock concert venue in the summer time.
Architecturally speaking, the Flaminio fits in with another building already visited by the Irish rugby team in this unique week, namely the Paul VI hall in the Vatican where the Pope met with the team at the end of his weekly public audience on Wednesday.
Both the Paul VI and the Flaminio were designed by Pier Luigi Nervi, one of the most famous 20th century Italian architects and someone also responsible for the Franchi Stadium in Florence, the Italia '61 Exhibitions Palace in Turin and the Unesco Headquarters in Paris.
In the late 1980s, when Italian preparations for the Italia '90 World Cup envisaged a radical restructuring of the Stadio Olimpico, it was only natural that the city's two most powerful soccer clubs, Serie A sides AS Roma and Lazio, would both "migrate" to the Flaminio for the best part of two seasons while the rebuilding went ahead.
Thus it was that the Flaminio played host to Napoli's Argentine-ace Maradona, to Inter's German Juergen Klinsmann, to the Juventus and USSR star Sergei Aleinikov, to AC Milan's fabulous GullitVan Basten-Rijkaard Dutch trio and to Roma's Rudi Voeller, to name but the most obvious Serie A stars of the time.
More recently, the Flaminio proved an ideal venue for the showjumping competitions at the World Equestrian Games. Originally due to be staged in Ireland, the Equestrian World Championships were switched to Italy at a late stage and, in the circumstances, the Flaminio was the obvious site for the showjumping since it provided a readymade site, close to the city centre.
Thus it came about that perhaps the best line-jumper ever seen at the Flaminio was not a second row forward but rather a horse, Lianos, ridden to win the World Championship by Brazilian Rodrigo Pessoa, in September 1998.
