PARIS — The Six
Nations championship has a "lot to gain" from having Italy involved,
their former fly-half Ian McKinley told AFP, despite Sunday's match with
Ireland in Dublin likely to be another "difficult weekend".
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The Italians go into the
match on a run of 34 successive Six Nations defeats and against an Ireland side
who have won nine of their last 10 Tests, including an impressive victory over
New Zealand last November.
Italy started this
championship with a 37-10 defeat in France and then a dire 33-0 loss a week
later at home to England.
McKinley, 32, is well versed
in the ups and downs of Italian rugby having had a renaissance in his career
there after losing the sight in his left eye when playing in Ireland.
Armed with special goggles,
the former Leinster and
Ireland Under-20 international went on to be capped
nine times by Italy for whom he was eligible under residency rules.
"Calls for promotion
and relegation are valid from a rugby supporters' point of view," he told
AFP by phone from his home in Northern Ireland.
"Sitting through the
England game was not pretty for a rugby fan.
"However, Georgia (who
are seen as potential replacements) drew with Portugal recently.
"Unfortunately Italy
suffer from being in this sort of mid-category that when you come up against
Canada and USA you are a bit better than them.
"But then move up a
category and there is such a difference between the home nations and France to
where Italy are at unfortunately."
McKinley says Italy still
have time to show they deserve to stay in the Six Nations.
"Contractually they are
locked in, I do not know for how many years, so things won't change in the
immediate," he said.
"Their progress might
revolve around what can
World Rugby do to make them more competitive.
"Selfishly I think
there is a lot to gain from having Italy in the Six Nations because I lived
there and I know what goes on there.
"However, if the
results do not get better that topic becomes a lot harder a conversation to
have."
'Very level-headed'
McKinley jokes that people
might think him "loopy" but there "are really good players"
coming through although some do "slip through the net."
"There is light out
there. The underage stuff is going well such as the Under-18s," he said.
"In the past few years
they have beaten Ireland,
England and Scotland consistently.
"The Under 20s beating
England (6-0 earlier this month) is a mammoth thing. Imagine if
Georgia or
Portugal did that they would be euphoric."
McKinley, though, says the
problem comes when they have to step up to the senior side.
"They are talented
players but the jump from the Under 20s to Test level there is a massive
difference, the players are more physical.
"There has never been a
second
Benetton or Zebre team to fill the gap for the talent coming through.
"Contrast that to
Leinster age grade. Unless you are ridiculously talented you do not go straight
into the Leinster first team.
"Instead there are bridges,
club rugby and then Leinster's second team so you are prepped for the first
team. In Italy there is a gap and no bridge hence why a 19-year-old will find
the leap into senior rugby trickier."
McKinley believes Italy are
in good hands under coach Kieran Crowley having played for him at
Benetton.
"Kieran is very
level-headed like a lot of New Zealander coaches," he added.
"Win, lose, draw, he
sees it in the same light and in a calm manner, his demeanor does not change.
"He has not been given
an easy couple of rounds and injuries make it tough for this
weekend."
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