Bowe selects Welsh as key opponents

Tommy Bowe is already eyeing up a potential Grand Slam decider against Wales, just one match into the 2009 RBS 6 Nations.

Ireland travel to Rome for Sunday’s clash with Italy hoping to build on the momentum established in their enthralling opening-day victory over France.

Wales remain favourites to win the Six Nations and Bowe hopes they also remain unbeaten, setting up a winner-takes-all clash in a climatic finale to the tournament at the Millennium Stadium.

“For me that would be the biggest game of the year,” said the Ospreys winger, who could be lining up against many of his provincial team-mates in Cardiff on March 21.

“To be able to come up against the Welsh boys and to beat them over there would be something else.

“It would be as good as going to Thomond Park with the Ospreys in the Heineken Cup in a couple of weeks and beating the Munster boys down there.”

Italy slumped to a morale-sapping 36-11 defeat at Twickenham last Saturday, undone by coach Nick Mallett’s decision to play flanker Mauro Bergamasco at scrum-half.

They were put to the sword at the Stadio Flaminio by Ireland two years ago but Bowe insists the Azzurri should be respected, especially if they give their fans something to cheer.

“I don’t think you’re going to get too much more physical than the French,” he said.

“But under the intense pressure of the Italian crowd, it’s going to be a fairly physical affair and hopefully we’ll come out on top.

“We’re hoping to go over there, play a bit of rugby and if we can get the sort of set piece we got last weekend it should be a fairly successful trip for us.

“You can’t take any of these games lightly. Whenever Italy play in Rome, they’re very hard to beat.

“But hopefully if things go right for us and we can play the type of rugby we want to, it should work out for us.

“Italy have some quality players, particularly in the back-line.

“They have a lot of very talented and speedy players out wide, so we won’t been taking anything lightly.

“Against the Italians, you never know what to expect from them.

“They send players up at all sorts of different angles and different speeds, so you never know where they’re coming from!”