Locked in combat
Then a short pause to ponder the prospect of Italy presenting serious problems in the Stadio Flaminio tomorrow.
You can understand the reader thinking ... if they can't beat Italy with something to spare, what hope do they have against England and France later in the Six Nations.
It's understandable, though the players would be idiots if they didn't treat all opposition with due respect.
They point to the fact that the Azzurri have begun recent seasons with a flourish and inflicted two defeats on Scotland and another on Wales.
Ireland are intent that no such fate befalls them.
This time last year, Paul O'Connell was preparing for the biggest test of his young career leading Ireland against France in Paris.
O'Connell performed his duties creditably but seemed happy to hand the armband back to Brian O'Driscoll. They went on to win their next four matches and capture the Triple Crown with big O'Connell such a central character that even then, he was tipped for the Lions in New Zealand this summer. He isn't keen on looking that far ahead, although too courteous to dismiss the subject outright. But he is a lot happier when talking about his second-row partner tomorrow, Malcolm O'Kelly, who equals Mike Gibson's record of 69 Irish caps in Rome.
"In fairness to Mal, he is criticised for being a bit lazy and stuff but we have the stats every day. Sometimes what a commentator or a journalist has to say the next day is taken as gospel, but the stats are there for us
after every match. His tackle count is up there near the highest, his cleaning out of rucks is always near the highest, he's a fabulous line-out operator and team player. I know he's been dropped a few times but in a way he's never been really dropped and that's a testament to him. He's a really good player and sets a very high standard. He's been doing it since 1997 and that's a fabulous achievement."
As it so happens, injury has prevented O'Connell from playing against the Italians on more than one occasion and even then, it was as a replacement that he came up against them in his rookie season of 2002. However, he knows a lot about them, not least because he has come up against Treviso, Italy's top club side, in the European Cup.
"They don't spare themselves, they're always tidy at the set pieces, with a good game plan which they execute well. Sometimes they may not have the game breakers we have but we're under no illusions, it's going to be physically our toughest game."
His opposite number, Marco Bortolami, is already regarded as one of the game's finest second-rows. He has done his homework on Bortolami.
"He was their captain and scored a try against the All Blacks when he was 22. He's a formidable operator."
Indeed, he is seen by coach John Kirwan as his long-term captain. Very like O'Connell, he is affable and articulate. He came through the ranks of the Italian U19 and U21 teams before claiming his first cap against Namibia in 2002.
Bortolami and O'Connell have yet to meet head-to-head but the Italian knows the Irishman by reputation.
He says the target for this year is to "win two of our five games" and while he doesn't say so, you sense he regards Ireland as a potential victim.
"We can't just concentrate on Scotland and Wales. Our players must believe they can compete with the best in the world. We have improved our discipline although it is something we must work on every day. Our coach, John Kirwan, demands 100% every day, if you give even 5% less, he is not satisfied."
O'Connell agrees: "You saw Treviso turning over Bath in the European Cup this year. They always catch somebody and when they do, it's usually early in the season. That's something we're aware of and along with that it's always such a physical game because they have a big scrum and a big maul. And then we're looking at a six-day turnaround for the Scottish game, Sunday to Saturday.
"The new IRB tackle law is interesting, we've studied videos and stuff. You don't know how the referee is going to interpret it early on but we'll keep an eye on that and hopefully not let it affect our game.
"We're going to try to win and get a good performance under our belts, trying to get the little things we've been working on right. It's a Six Nations match away from home, you want to put on a performance, but first and foremost you want a win and to get out with as few injuries as possible."
IT's the city to which Shakespeare banished his young lover Romeo and the setting in which the tempestuous Kate was tamed in The Taming of the Shrew.
Yet Padova also carries a rich tradition among the Italian rugby fraternity as one of the oldest and most successful clubs, and boasts some of the Azzurri's most talented players. Now it's the turn of 25-year-old Marco Bortolami, Italy's new captain, to stamp his mark on the international stage.
Bortolami was already vice-captain, and had captained Italy on a summer tour when coach John Kirwan asked him to be captain proper after last season's Six Nations.
"It was a huge honour and an immense joy when he asked me. Obviously it is a great responsibility, above all because I am in a team with older and more experienced players. But I have captained them before, which helps," he said.
He grew up and played his rugby at Padova, following in the footsteps of his father. This season, however, he shocked many with his sudden departure to Narbonne.
"It all happened quite quickly really. It was something I had been thinking about for a while and I made a few enquiries in France and England. Despite some interest, Narbonne was the only team to put a definite offer on the table."
With a maturity that belies his age, the move has been seamless and he is relishing his new life in France.
"I am quite an independent person so I have found it all ok. I moved with my girlfriend, which has helped me adjust. Naturally you bond more with the other foreign players, the English and the South Africans in this case, because you are all seeking out new places and ties together."
Playing in a country where rugby is revered and followed with great interest also brings a new dimension.
"In Italy people don't really recognise you in the streets like they do here. There is a rugby culture here I have never experienced.
Despite the responsibilities of being an international captain, Bortolami still finds time to study for a mechanical engineering degree.
"I am two and a half years into it, and if I complete three years it will give me a degree, and that's where I want to get to. My studies are important and I will make sure I finish them, even if it is slower than I anticipated."
Rugby, however remains his priority, and it was for this reason that he came to France.
"It is a great league to play in, very fast and exciting. I spoke with John Kirwan before I left and he was happy for me."
His departure to France is an example of a growing trend among Italian players to ply their trade abroad.
"In countries like England and France the level of rugby week in week out is far higher than here in Italy. If we want to improve then we have to test ourselves against the best.
"One day I would like to play in England, but I think it is another step up from France and I don't feel ready for that yet."
Of course the ramifications for Italian rugby are potentially very serious.
"It is a difficult situation for Italian players and clubs. In the short term it is beneficial for Italian players to go and play abroad in a higher standard of rugby. It is the only way to improve as the Super 10 does not prepare you nearly enough for the rigours of the Six Nations.
"They are two worlds apart, and ultimately we are helping the national team by going away."
With the absence of a number of current internationals and a limited pool of home-grown talent, many Super 10 coaches are looking abroad for reinforcements. Financial reality means that results are critical and they need the best players available.
"Unfortunately in the long-term this does not help Italian rugby. They are bringing in foreign players to the Super 10 which increases the standard and attracts people to the games, but they are playing in the place of potential Italian home-grown players, and this is stopping their development.
"They must invest in the youth and particularly the coaching now. Rugby is becoming more popular in Italy, and they need to bring in the coaches now. We also need more media coverage of rugby.
"We are handicapped in Italy by the popularity of football, and this is preventing rugby's global growth."
So how does he think Italy will fare in this year's tournament?
"We have definitely improved from last year, and I hope that teams will respect us as a team worthy of our place and that we can be taken seriously. I am aware that all the other teams are improving too, so it will certainly not be any easier. I cannot say how many games we will win.
"We are a young team and learning all the time. We just want to play as we know we can and compete in every game. Our focus is to work on the mental aspect as well as the physical because it is so critical for us and will make the difference if we want to keep on improving."
Although he sees England and France as favourites, he also believes Wales are capable of causing a few surprises. "They are a fast improving team with a lot of good players and could be very dangerous."
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