Italy coach Nick Mallett has made no changes to the starting XV that lost their last RBS 6 Nations match to England for the game against Scotland in Rome on Saturday.

Carlo Antonio Del Fava is the surprise inclusion in Italy’s 30-man squad to face Scotland in their next RBS 6 Nations clash.

LEICESTER tight-head prop Dan Cole has admitted the prospect of anchoring the England pack in a full international was not even on his radar at the start of this season.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has been forced to make two changes to his 24-man squad ahead of the RBS 6 Nations match against England in Rome on Sunday.

IT’S a straight-out-of-the-book recipe for a very poor game of rugby when Grand Slam champions perform like wooden spooners and the opposition do likewise.

Italy coach Nick Mallett was delighted with his side’s rearguard effort against Ireland at Croke Park today as they lost the second half only 6-3.

Ireland coach Declan Kidney has admitted Ireland had to improve despite their 29-11 win over Italy at Croke Park today.

Man of the match David Wallace declared it was job done after Ireland’s 29-11 RBS 6 Nations victory over Italy at Croke Park today.

Ireland 29 Italy 11

Ireland 23 Italy 8

BOXING is one of the few sporting activities in which the protagonists talk themselves up and promise to hammer the opposition into submission in the lead-up to a contest.

IRELAND and Ospreys wing Tommy Bowe has escaped suspension following a European Rugby Cup (ERC) hearing yesterday.

Ireland international Tommy Bowe has escaped the sanction of a suspension following a hearing into an alleged dangerous tackle.

DAVID ATTOUB and Julien Dupuy yesterday apologised for their conduct during Stade Francais’s Heineken Cup clash with Ulster on Saturday.

Harlequins and England scrum-half Danny Care has been handed a one-week ban by the Rugby Football Union.

Ospreys wing Tommy Bowe has been cited for a dangerous tackle on Viadana counterpart Kaine Robertson during Saturday’s Heineken Cup match.

Viadana 11 Leicester 46

New Zealand 27 Italy 6

TOMMY BOWE is enjoying the day-to-day life of an Irish rugby international. Though the national economy may be in free fall, Bowe and his colleagues seem to be among the select few turning up to work with a smile on their faces.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has made four changes to the side that lost against Ireland for Saturday's RBS 6 Nations clash with Scotland at Murrayfield.

Italy 9 Ireland 38

Italy coach Nick Mallett has told his players to forget Mauro Bergamasco's 13-week ban for eye-gouging and instead focus on beating France on Sunday.

FRANCE head coach Marc Lievremont’s revolving door policy continued yesterday when he named three uncapped players in his starting XV for Sunday’s RBS Six Nations Championship clash with Italy.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has named uncapped Jacobus Erasmus in his 22-man squad ahead of the RBS 6 Nations game against France in Paris on March 9.

Speed machine Mark Jones is ready to exploit Italy’s new-look back three and fast-track Wales to a third straight RBS 6 Nations victory.

THE ROAD to redemption is longer and littered with more potholes than we might have imagined.

AN hour of Six Nations rugby was enough to convince Irish supporters that Rob Kearney should be an automatic choice when Eddie O’Sullivan hatches his plans for the game against France in Paris next Saturday.

EDDIE O’SULLIVAN has again brushed off suggestions of personal fatigue ahead of his seventh Six Nations campaign in charge of Ireland, claiming he’s as eager as ever about the job.

Italy coach Nick Mallett has put his faith in experience for Saturday's RBS 6 Nations opener with Ireland at Croke Park.

Viadana 15 Glasgow Warriors 18

Viadana 26 Saracens 34

Scotland insist they are reading nothing into Italy’s abject performances in the World Cup so far ahead of Sunday’s qualification decider between the two teams in St Etienne.

Ireland 23 Italy 20

Ireland 10 Italy 13

Italy 36 Japan 12

Ireland placed one hand on the RBS 6 Nations trophy after putting Italy to the sword at the Stadio Flaminio.

ASKING a coach to compare players can be like asking a father to choose his favourite child.

Head coach Gareth Jenkins slammed referee Chris White after Wales fell to a controversial late defeat to Italy in Rome.

Italy 23 Wales 20

Italy have beaten Wales 23-20 in the RBS 6 Nations Championship in Rome.

Italy 13 Wales 7

ITALY captain Marco Bortolami has admitted he feared the Azzurri might throw away their chance to make history in the RBS 6 Nations Championship against Scotland.

Scotland coach Frank Hadden took "full responsibility" for the shock 37-17 home defeat to Italy in the RBS 6 Nations today.

Scotland 17 Italy 37