RUGBY: The Romans usually have bigger things on their minds at the best of times - what shoes to wear for their afternoon stroll, does the scarf match etc - and given the Pontiff's current health, a rugby match is even lower on the agenda.
Nevertheless, hope springs eternal in Rome, never more so than on Six Nations opening weekend - and the locals for once are set to pack out the Stadio Flaminio here tomorrow.
There were a couple of hundred tickets floating around in the Italian Federation yesterday but come kick-off there should be a 25,000 sell-out. This being the most popular biennial sortie of the tournament, the IRFU have long since sold their allocation of 5,500 tickets and the ex-pats should ensure about 7,000-8,000 cheering Irish supporters for the first leg of a campaign dizzy with expectation. Even so, they'll be heavily outnumbered at this quaint Serie C ground, although it mightn't always look it given replica shirts are at odds with most Italians' dress code.
With Roma kicking off against Bologna half-an-hour later, and the city's basketball team also at home, the city should be in quite a sporting tizzy tomorrow afternoon.
Spring isn't in the air yet, but at least this means the post-Christmas sales are still offering 30-50 per cent discounts. Veni, vidi, Visa and all that. The recent cold snap has abated, with temperatures returning to upwards of 10 degrees during the day. The forecast for tomorrow is not as sunny as today, with more cloud, but the rain is expected to hold off.
With Ireland having won the last seven meetings, the days are long gone since the Azzurri were something of a nemesis, yet the last four championship affairs have been rugged enough, and the Irish squad are discernibly preparing themselves for more of the same.
Against Italy's scrum, Ireland will be happy not to give an inch, but the greater class of Paul O'Connell and Malcolm O'Kelly should contribute to a superior lineout. The back-row clash will be full on, and only after this weekend will we appreciate the effect of the IRB's latest diktat regarding any shifting of body positions after going to ground, which could lead to Paddy O'Brien giving countless turnover penalties.
It could be particularly harsh on fullbacks, might well disrupt the game of any continuity and could intensify the need for an openside groundhog. But in the absence of Keith Wood, David Wallace and Victor Costello, Ireland needed the infusion of a dynamic ball-carrier like Denis Leamy, for whom the sky is now the limit this year.
It will have its longeurs, Eddie O'Sullivan forewarned. "They're going to have the ball for long periods because they have a good setpiece platform and their continuity is good, so you have to prepare to defend for many phases, and if you get sloppy and miss tackles, you'll pay a price. You've got to have that head-set that you're going to have to play without the football for long periods of the game. Which is the way it is in the modern game, and Italy are no different from anyone else."
There was good news for O'Sullivan yesterday as Reggie Corrigan completed a training session with the squad before they flew to Rome. The loosehead prop had been a doubt after injuring his knee on Monday, but he now looks good to start. Italy also received good news on hooker Fabio Ongaro, who is likely to recover from a groin injury and play ahead of Giorgio Intoppa.
As Ronan O'Gara alludes to inside (page 3), there's always more of an unknown quantity about Italy than any other side. The forwards are settled and competitive in all aspects, but for all their close-in recycling the Azzurri have struggled for tries (scoring just two in last year's championship, compared to six the year before). "We've addressed that," says John Kirwan. "The great thing about losing is that it makes you so much better. It makes me feel sick when we lose, because that's just my nature, physically sick, but the first thing I try and do is look in the mirror and say 'what did I do wrong?' "
Kirwan admits a big responsibility rests with Luciano Orquera, the little-known 5ft 7ins, 23-year-old outhalf from Padova. "We need our young first-five to front up. He's new and we need to put people around him. He's a cool kid. It's risky, but I love a risk. You're not going to get anywhere without risking, and we've got to play this kid because he's got the ability."
Even so, the gamble on Orquera is partly enforced, because overseas imports fill so many of the outhalf slots, and at Padova their French coach prefers Orquera to Andrea Marcato, who has had to contend with the fullback position despite being Italy's star player at the last under-21 World Cup.
The Azzurri struggled to put away a World XV made up of overseas imports in their own club game last weekend, winning 31-14, although both sides rang the changes at half-time and Italy were keeping their lineout combinations up their sleeves.
Even so, for all Treviso's performances in the European Cup, most notably ruffling Leinster at home, the memory of their utter eclipse at Lansdowne Road in the return fixture won't go away. While Italy will take subduing, Ireland's all-embracing back line should give them a greater cutting edge.
Referee: Paddy O'Brien (New Zealand).
Previous meetings: (1988) Ireland 31 Italy 15. (1995) Italy 22 Ireland 12. (1997) Ireland 29 Italy 37; Italy 37 Ireland 22. (1999) Ireland 39 Italy 30. (2000) Ireland 60 Italy 13. (2001) Italy 22 Ireland 41. (2002) Ireland 32 Italy 17. (2003) Italy 13 Ireland 37; Ireland 61 Italy 6. (2004) Ireland 19 Italy 3.
Betting (Paddy Powers): 7/1 Italy, 40/1 Draw, 1/16 Ireland. Handicap odds (= Italy +17pts) 10/11 Italy, 20/1 Draw, 10/11 Ireland. Forecast: Ireland to win.
