Italian coach gets a little help from friends

Italy coach John Kirwan has been getting by with a little help from his friends ahead of the Azzurri's RBS Six Nations clash with France in Rome this Sunday.

Northampton and ex-All Black coach Wayne Smith has been involved in training this week.

The build-up to their last match saw current Wallaby coach Eddie Jones impart his expertise on the Italians, and this time it is the turn of Kirwan's former All Black and Benetton Treviso team-mate Smith to chip in, during a week which was seen back-up scrum-half Juan Manuel Queirolo pull out with a calf injury, replaced by 'A' team half-back Matteo Mazzantini.