Italy v England:Every time England fly to Rome they do so with their eyes wide open. Past results, at a glance, seem to cast the Azzurri in the no-hope category but there is never the slightest hint of complacency among the visiting forwards.
It is probably the reason the English have averaged 46 points per game in the Eternal City in the Six Nations and been less prolific at home. While Italy often appear overawed at Twickenham, they hold nothing back at the Stadio Flaminio.
The bad news for the hosts, though, is that Brian Ashton's team could not be more motivated themselves. Injuries have been a tiresome distraction, with Phil Vickery's right calf to be assessed further today, but Ashton is confident that his selection will wipe last week's Welsh slate clean.
The introduction of new players has in some ways done the head coach a favour. With no choice but to accelerate his rebuilding operation, he is urging the entire squad to burn some fresh rubber tomorrow and banish the disappointment of last Saturday's false start.
If Lesley Vainikolo, for example, stands idle on the wing for the entire game, the management will be intensely irritated.
If Jonny Wilkinson plays like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, Ashton will take it as a personal affront.
"What we don't want now is any black sheep on the playing or management side saying: 'Hang on a minute, this is far too dangerous or risky,'" warned Ashton yesterday. "I'm very confident that if, God forbid, we're ever in a similar situation, the outcome will be slightly different from last week."
Such optimism, clearly, is based on England's first-half efforts against Wales rather than their rabbit-in-the-headlights display in the second. Ashton, like everyone else, knows he has some good young players on the fringes and reckons their gradual emergence will galvanise their elders.
"They can see what the new players coming into the team have to offer and it adds to the general excitement about what this team might be capable of. You look through the 22-man squad and think: 'Wow, some of these guys can really play.'"
All of which puts obvious pressure on England's pack to establish the necessary forward platform and Wilkinson, whether Vickery makes it or not, to show he is still the world-class playmaker his team-mates believe him to be.
Jamie Noon, who plays alongside his Newcastle colleague for the first time at Test level, is in no doubt.
"It's just ridiculous that people have singled him out as the catalyst for England's loss last week. He didn't have his best game but I don't think he should necessarily take all the blame. There is no one who trains as hard as him, not just on his kicking.
"If you listen to any match the voice you'll constantly hear is him. Sometimes it's a bit annoying. He's telling you what to do and you think: 'I know, I'm an international as well.' But that's because he's so ambitious and wants everyone to do well. When you have someone like that involved it does make your life a bit easier."
Even so Italy will have noted how flustered Wilkinson became once Wales established some forward momentum.
"We all know what a difficult side they can be to play against if the game develops in a certain way," conceded Ashton.
"Italy are no mugs in the front five and that's where the contest could conceivably be won or lost.
"They're always a tough nut to crack at home and they've now got some very experienced players. I think they've closed the gap quite dramatically."
The Italy flanker Mauro Bergamasco said: "We've focused on the many negative things that happened (in Croke Park last Saturday), even though we only lost 16-11, but at the same time we have to maintain the passion and heart we showed last Saturday."
The paucity of Italy's kicking game in Dublin will, however, have to be addressed if Nick Mallett's team are to do much more than test England's resolve.
Ezio Galon, picked on the left wing in place of the injured Pablo Canavosio, reputedly possesses a half-decent boot but the entire Italian defence is likely to be more preoccupied with the potential threat of Vainikolo.
"I suspect he'll be pretty keen to start wandering around the field, getting himself involved more often than he did last week," promised Ashton. "I think he'd frighten people to death if he moved to first receiver, wouldn't he?"
England should win, but exactly the same thing was said last week.
