1 – Italy are on the riseIt’s been a long time coming, so many wooden spoons, so many lop-sided scorelines and so many calls for relegation to be introduced to the Six Nations so as to make Italy justify their existence alongside the Big Boys. And the telling thing is that an Italian victory is no longer greeted with surprise or patronising pats on the head as if the underdog has had a lucky break.

Source: Irish Examiner February 12, 2026 18:06 UTC