Italy will be boosted by the return of lock Marco Bortolami and centre Andrea Marcato for their RBS Six Nations game in Scotland on February 28, but will be without Andrea Masi after the full-back received a three-week ban today.

Italy will be boosted by the return of lock Marco Bortolami and centre Andrea Marcato for their RBS Six Nations game against Scotland in Edinburgh on February 28.

All Blacks' flanker Jerry Collins is the latest addition to the Barbarians squad for Tuesday's match against Ireland at Kingsholm, Gloucester.

WALES coach Warren Gatland insists Italy deserve to be treated with more respect — and he has been drumming home that message to his players all week.

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

Ireland 16 Italy 11

Italy captain Marco Bortolami is an injury doubt for Saturday’s crucial World Cup Pool C match against Scotland in St Etienne.

ITALY got their Rugby World Cup campaign back on track last night with a laboured victory over Pool C rivals Romania in Marseille.

Italy 24 Romania 18

IRISH coach Eddie O’Sullivan will have a far better idea of the well-being of his side after a near full-strength team has played Italy at Ravenhill tonight in the final warm-up for next month’s Rugby World Cup.

ITALY manager Pierre Berbizier has made seven changes for tomorrow’s World Cup warm-up match against Ireland.

Italy coach Pierre Berbizier has made three changes to his starting line-up for the Six Nations Championship clash against Wales in Cardiff.

Italy rugby chief Giancarlo Dondi has demanded the Azzurri “battle to the death” when they take on Wales in their next RBS 6 Nations Championship outing as they go in search of a first win in this year's competition.

THOMAS CASTAIGNEDE admits it has been hard watching France endure a stuttering start to their RBS 6 Nations campaign as he prepares to make his tournament bow against Italy tomorrow.

Italy coach Pierre Berbizier has drafted Bourgoin lock Carlos Del Fava into his first 15 for this weekend’s Six Nations Championship clash with France in Paris.

ENGLAND lock Steve Borthwick has a degree in economics and politics from Bath University - so his reputation as a workaholic rugby scholar should be of little surprise.

Italy coach Pierre Berbizier has dropped Andrea Lo Cicero in favour of Fabio Ongaro in his team for the RBS 6 Nations opener against Ireland.

Bernard Laporte's France were without rising star Benoit Baby as they attempted to upset the odds and retain their RBS 6 Nations title at a sold-out Stadio Flaminio.

Fabio Ongaro has been named as Italy captain for the Test match against the USA on November 27.

Veteran forward Carlo Checchinato is the principal doubt for Italy for their last RBS 6 Nations match with Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

Italy number eight Sergio Parisse is set to miss the RBS 6 Nations match against Ireland on March 20.

Italian centre Manuel Dallan is not fully fit and will only be on the bench for tomorrow’s RBS 6 Nations Championship match against France in Paris.

ITALY are convinced their cosmopolitan team can make things difficult for world champions England at the Stadio Flaminio tomorrow.

The Welsh suffered an embarrassing whitewash last year but, after their heroics in Australia, have been tipped by England’s World Cup winner Jonny Wilkinson to spring a surprise.

Italy coach John Kirwan has delayed his team selection for Sunday’s RBS 6 Nations opener against England and will not now announce his line-up until tomorrow.

BENETTON TREVISO coach Craig Green, smiled quietly as he studied the plaque in Thomond Park that commemorates Munster’s famous victory over the 1978 All Blacks.