The Azzurri face Test matches against Tonga, Argentina and Fiji in successive weeks as they build up to the start of the RBS 6 Nations, which takes place at the beginning of next year.

The Pumas are arguably the best of the quartet of teams on show, but all three games are set to be close encounters.

In their Tests over the summer, Italy managed to square the two-match series in Argentina before losing their only match in Australia.

And if those clashes and their recent practice sessions are anything to go by, Bollesan reckons his squad have the right attitude going into next months games.

The tours to Argentina and Australia proved our fitness and technical approach to games is getting better and I believe we are going to improve even more in sight of the 2006 RBS 6 Nations, he said.

Certainly the training sessions we did this suumer in Treviso, Ferrara and then Parma proved to be intense and hard, but the signs are the players have a high standard of fitness.

I'm sure we have all the ingredients necessary to play at a high standard in the autumn Test matches.

Bollesan predicts the game against Argentina will be his sides toughest assignment.

On November 12 in Tuscany, we play a good team in Tonga, he added. We will have to play well to beat them, but I believe we are the favourites for this match.

Then a week later, we face strong opponents in the Pumas, who I'm sure will come to the Luigi Ferrari Stadium in Genoa with their best players who play in Europe, mainly in France and England.

This will be a hard match to win especially after our exploits in June when we won a great game at their place in Cordoba. We lost the other one more because of our mistakes than anything else.

I'm sure they are coming to avenge that defeat and to show they are still stronger than us. Just as in Italy, Argentina always show passion in every sport they play.

The last game against Fiji will be hard because they try to break you with a good pressing game.

But again if we play at our best, I believe we can win this encounter. In fact I'm really looking forward to all the November matches.