Mallet hopes to stay competitive

Nick Mallett insists Italy's objective throughout the 2010 RBS 6 Nations is to remain competitive.

The Azzurri have won only six of the 50 games they have played since joining the championship in 2000 and have finished with the wooden spoon seven times.

But, on occasion, the competition's lowest-ranked team have proved dangerous opponents at the Stadio Flaminio, where Wales and Scotland have succumbed in the past.

A lack of playing resources limits Italy's ambition but Mallett will be satisfied if they trouble all opponents - while picking up the odd scalp.

‘For Italy, success means being competitive against every other side,’ he said.

‘When we have a chance to beat a team, we have to take it. If we're playing the bigger teams away, we don't want to lose by 70 points.

‘We want the defeats to be within 15-20 points. That's where Italian rugby is at the moment and we have to improve on that.’

Italy attracted a staggering 80,000 crowd to the San Siro for last year's autumn international against New Zealand, although their hordes of fans could not prevent them losing 20-6.

For Mallett, the turnout represented a huge achievement for a side he believes are inspired more than most by national pride, even though their ranks may contain some players born outside Italy.

‘Every team has to find an identity so that it plays for something greater than itself,’ he said.

‘A team that understands that performs better. It's very important for the Italian team to be seen as Italian.

‘We have a rule that Italian has to be spoken at all our games and all meetings. Guys who come in from outside have to speak Italian.

‘We got 80,000 people at the San Siro last November against all Italian precedents, which was extraordinary and unique.

‘Normally Italians will only support winning teams but we'd been on a losing streak.

‘But the public had seen something on the pitch that gave them pride.

‘They saw that we were boxing outside our division and how hard we are trying.

‘It's crucial that our players know they are the flag bearers for the future of Italian rugby.

‘If the national side doesn't perform well, we won't be able to increase the numbers playing. The players understand that responsibility.’

Mallett has mourned the loss of Sergio Parisse for the entire Six Nations because of a knee injury but insists Italy will cope without their talisman.

‘We're lucky that we've got good back-row forwards but we'll miss him on the field - he's the best number eight in Europe,’ he said.

‘You can't be a one-man team. It would be a sad situation if the only way Italy are competitive is if Sergio Parisse is playing.

‘It's great to have a fantastic player like him but, in the broader context of Italian rugby, it's important that we can perform without him.’