Ireland travel to the Stadio Flaminio on Saturday for a Six Nations clash that will also act as a warm-up for their World Cup showdown in October.

For those eager to clear their schedule even now; Sunday, the 2nd is the day they meet for a game that could decide who follows Australia out of the Pool. But that is way into the future and by no means will this weekend be a sparring session before the big fight in New Zealand. Italy and Ireland mean business for different reasons.

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General consensus then: Rome is a banana skin that should be comfortably avoided seeing as the Emerald Isle has never fallen to the Azzurri. However, you never know with Ireland and with a partisan crowd behind Italy there is always potential that something special can happen.

Add to that underdog backing the return of Sergio Parrise this Championship, who they missed throughout their Wooden Spoon effort of 2010, and it seems like a good chance for Italy to catch Ireland napping. His comeback would boost any nation and we expect him to shine from the off.

Let's just get one thing straight before the mailbox floods with wounded Irish followers, we are not backing Nick Mallett's charges to claim a huge upset. Form is not with them at all - Italy have won just two of their last 15 in the Six Nations and the last win was a 16-12 one over Scotland last February.