Italy refuse to press panic button for big English test

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

With England playing their first competitive match as world champions, many believe that Clive Woodward's men should have it easy against John Kirwan's patched-up Italian team.

Paul Griffen, a New Zealander who by his own admission came to Italy primarily as a tourist, replaces the injured Alessandro Troncon at scrum-half as he makes his bow for the Azzurri but both Kirwan and Griffen believe Italy can put on a good show.