Peter O’Mahony gets down to business for Roman rumble

The Eternal City can wait. Whatever the charms of Italy’s capital city, when Peter O’Mahony returns to Rome this weekend, the visit will be all business for the Ireland back-rower, even if that means playing on the wing again, says Simon Lewis.

Munster’s captain will embark on his fourth RBS 6 Nations campaign this Saturday when holders Ireland open their 2015 account at Stadio Olimpico.

While thousands of Irish supporters will view a trip to Rome as an opportunity to combine Test rugby with some of the finest sightseeing in Europe, O’Mahony’s experience in the city has been all pain, a humbling 22-15 defeat in the same stadium two years ago in which first-half injuries to three of the backline saw the forward switched outside to the wing for the best part of an hour.