Conor O’Shea on mission to get Italians respected

If Conor O’Shea needed reminding that regard for Italian rugby was at an all-time low, the Azzurri’s new head coach could have flicked through the RBS 6 Nations media guide.

Had he turned to the first page dedicated to his adopted country in the glossy 112-page bible of championship statistics, the Irishman will have learned the organisers had not even included his name, instead leaving predecessor Jacques Brunel in situ as head coach.

Such is the burden of a team that has not finished higher than fourth but accumulated six whitewashes and 11 wooden spoons in its 17-year residence at European rugby’s top table. Throw in two woefully under-performing club franchises and serious questions being asked about their right to an automatic berth in the Champions Cup and it is no wonder O’Shea’s first order of business is to restore respect.