SIX NATIONS PREVIEWS: Win or lose tomorrow, and no one from the Vatican downwards anticipates a home victory, Italian rugby has long-term problems to solve, writes Robert Kitson.
Italy v England, Rome, Sunday at 3 p.m. (Irish time) on BBC1 and Net 2: Their New Zealand-born coach, Brad Johnstone, is set to part company with the Azzurri, with Munster among his suitors, his assistant John Kirwan is considering an offer from Montferrand, while Rovigo, one of the country's more prestigious clubs, are in financial meltdown. Add to that the probability of a second successive Six Nations whitewash and la dolce vita is hard to discern.
Those who would cast the Italians out of the tournament until they have sorted themselves out, however, should not be so hasty. World rugby is a long way from being in a position to pick and choose who it wants to invite to dine at its top table.
Italy need firm encouragement not disdain just now, and the sight of their prop, Federico Pucciariello, winning the man-of-the-match award for his club Gloucester last week was further proof that they have some decent players at their disposal.
Collectively, though, they have disappeared down a bit of a cul-de-sac and tomorrow will offer little respite.
England, nevertheless, are wary. They may have won both the last two encounters between the sides by massive margins but on each occasion it was Italy who began the game better.
At the same stadium two years ago, England found themselves trailing 7-6 early on with Garath Archer in the sin-bin and, though they still won 59-12, they flew home with considerable respect for the Italian forwards.
Against Ireland last month, this distinctive Latin passion boiled over somewhat with the L'Aquila prop, Salvatore Perugini, suspended for 20 weeks for butting the Irish scrumhalf Peter Stringer. "I hope there are no silly incidents like we saw in the Irish game," admitted the England manager Clive Woodward, predicting another physical match-up.
"Every team that plays them in Italy knows they've been in a game."
The Italian centre Giovanni Raineri is still suffering from a throat infection after a bout of flu and may have to be replaced by Christian Zanoletti, but from England's point of view this is as likely to be a test of their patience and ingenuity as their defensive solidity.
If you strip down their Six Nations campaign to its component parts, Woodward's side have not played to their immense potential as often as they would have liked and they are keen to go out with a precise attacking bang.
There is certainly no point worrying how Jonny Wilkinson will react to the use of a new Mitre ball - about as relevant a pre-match discussion topic as an interview with Gianluca Vialli's hairdresser.
Whether sacking Rome, in a rugby sense, will dispel all England's Parisian frustrations is another matter.
If fighting talk is anything to go by then England better be on their guard. Coach Johnstone doesn't mince his word as was evident at a recent press conference when he came under sustained fire. "They wouldn't know one end of the rugby pitch from the other," he blasted in typical blunt fashion.
Guardian Service
