VENI, VIDI, visa has been the motto of Ireland’s previous four treks to Rome, with the conquering bit taken as read, but the times, as we know, are a changing – witness 500 of the IRFU’s 6,000 tickets being returned to the Italian Federation. Still, as the advance party of the Green Army invaded the Eternal City it was akin to the last, posthumous roar of the Celtic Tiger.
On a glorious, spring-like day in which temperatures seemed warmer than eight degrees (more of the same is forecast for the weekend) what little sporting colour there was around the many attractions this beautiful city has to offer saw a few Brescia fans in town for tomorrow’s Serie A game.
The well-heeled beautiful people of Rome strutted their stuff along the designer labels of Via del Corso and Via Condotti with customary indifference to any impending rugby match, while the Sei Nazioni was relegated to the inside back pages of the Corriere dello Sport and page 29 of La Gazetta dello Sport.
The Italian rugby team, meanwhile, visited an Irish bar the day before called the Shamrock, near the Colosseum, which has been turned into a rugby museum by Adidas. Though mixing good-humouredly, Mauro Bergamasco admitted he was “ashamed” of his performance against England as a makeshift scrumhalf.
Nick Mallett has been copping a fair amount of criticism for that decision and there appears to be a new-found level of gloom about the Azzurri’s prospects. Nine of their starting side ply their trade in the French Top 14 or the English Premiership, though the flip side of that coin is that six of their team, and 10 of their 22, play in the Italian league. Indeed, four of their starting XV and five of their squad play with a Calvisano side who conceded 45 points per game in a Heineken Cup group containing Cardiff, Biarritz and Gloucester, without mustering even a bonus point.
Even so, Mallett has assuredly picked a stronger team than a week ago in Twickenham. His brainstorm regarding scrumhalf effectively renders the Azzurri’s opening performance almost useless as any kind of barometer.
Mallett’s four changes in personnel (though two are enforced and three positional) can only benefit the team on balance; especially in terms of a one-off tournament match. After Bergamasco’s frustrations of a week ago, the notion of the Italian firebrand being even more fired-up than normal means this one change makes Italy stronger in two positions.
Mallett has performed a volte face in promoting the grizzled 33-year-old Kiwi veteran Paul Griffen straight into the number nine jersey for his first start under him. Once again, this hardly constitutes a ringing endorsement of the team’s sole Roman, Giulio Toniolatrti, but it gives the Azzurri a more experienced, abrasive presence around the fringes.
Poor old Andrea Marcato was fairly put through the ringer last week, barely lasting half an hour of goal-keeping practice at the fag end of Bergamasco’s, eh, service before sustaining a bang on the head, but there was no doubt that the arrival of another Kiwi, Luke McLean, gave them more of a running threat at 10. That said, he plays fullback for Calvisano and this will be his first Six Nations start.
Switching the excellent Mirco Bergamasco from wing to inside centre will assuredly make the Stade Français player a more influential figure. Throw in the Roman factor and the Azzurri will scarcely be recognisable from a week ago, when their pack’s scrum and close-in rumbles gave them plenty of go-forward ball. But much of their momentum will invariably come through the amount of times the brilliant Sergio Parisse and Mauro Bergamasco get their mits on the ball, and Alessandro Zanni is a fine continuity player.
Against that, some of Fabio Ongario’s darts a week ago were as dangerous to low-flying birds as Bergamasco’s service and Italy’s lineout was leakier than a sieve. They coughed up six of their 19 throws while making no impression on England’s lineout. With Marco Bortolami still sidelined by a knee injury sustained in Twickeham, that looks a potential Achilles heel again.
While Tomás O’Leary and Ronan O’Gara will be looking to improve our kicking/territory game, at the very least Paul O’Connell and co ought to ensure a steady stream of quality ball from their own lineout, and perhaps providing the option of kicking for touch and attacking the Ongaro throw as well.
Arriving yesterday evening with a clean bill of health and a mere week on from the revivalist win over France, one can’t imagine Ireland veering too far from the rather simple yet positive gameplan of a week ago. This is phase one of a five-game, three-phase tournament. More of the same would do nicely, built on the solid foundations of good set-pieces and accurate clearing out at the tackle/breakdown area, where the forwards will have to work just as hard at staying on their feet, or releasing quickly on the deck, with Chris White in charge.
Presumably a counter-attacking game will again be eschewed for the time being, with Ireland enjoying the comforts of the supreme Rob Kearney under the high ball. However, more of an offload game would assuredly reap dividends, as would striking from deep through a rejuvenated Brian O’Driscoll and the outside three as in Rome two years ago or Dublin a week ago.
Basically, Ireland must let their greater class tell.
Last five meetings:2008 - Ireland 16 Italy 11 (Dublin); 2007 - Ireland 23 Italy 20 (Belfast); Italy 24 Ireland 51 (Rome); 2006 - Irealnd 26 Italy 16 (Dublin); 2005 - Italy 17 Ireland 28 (Rome).
Betting (Paddy Power):11/2 Italy, 33/1 Draw, 1/7 Ireland. Handicap odds (= Italy + 13 pts) 10/11 Italy, 25/1 Draw, 10/11 Ireland.
Forecast:Ireland to win.
