John Kirwans men host Ireland in their first game on February 6 at the Stadio Flaminio and team manager Marco Bollesan told www.federugby.it: We have to show everyone we have taken a huge step forward.

Italy were well beaten in Rome at the end of 2004 by New Zealand but they did beat Canada and the United States.

We are better organised and our play on the field is getting better, said Bollesan, who admitted expectations are high among the supporters.

More and more of our fans are filling the Flaminio Stadium and this is why we are getting stronger and stronger every day," he said.

Fitness trainer Pascal Valentini will be under a lot of pressure during the campaign as he tries to keep Italys best players on the field and he has been encouraged of late.

"At every training meeting, I notice a great sign of maturity from our players, Valentini said.

All the members are working hard as a team and as individuals. In particular, I have noticed the boys who played in the European Cup are in great shape.

They are in top condition and our aim is to keep them at their best. We have ahead of us two months of high level games and we have to keep the players in as good a shape as possible.