Conor O’Shea ‘tailor-made’ for Italy, says protege Danny Care

Conor O’Shea is “tailor-made” for the all-encompassing job of revitalising Italian rugby, according to Danny Care.

Care hailed O’Shea for acting as a surrogate father to many Harlequins stars in his six years at The Stoop, backing him to transfer those avuncular qualities into the international arena.

O’Shea’s mammoth Italian task is not just to forge a Test side that can move past 11 last-place finishes in 17 RBS 6 Nations tournaments — but also to revamp internal structures at every level.