CHRIS FOY: Put the Italians out of their 悲惨 - their status and the 信用性 of the Six Nations is at 火刑／賭ける against Scotland in Rome

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This now an 緊急. The 状況／情勢 is 批判的な. Italy 直面する arguably the most important fixture in their history on Saturday, when they take on Scotland at Rome's Olympic Stadium.

To say the Azzurri need a 勝利，勝つ is a colossal under-声明. Their status and the 信用性 of the Six Nations is at 火刑／賭ける.?

In the Eternal City, the hosts must find a way out of what feels like an eternal 低迷. 陳謝s for the broken-記録，記録的な／記録する lament, but the Italians are not 正当化するing their 存在 in Europe's 実験（する） showpiece and they must start to do so. Now.?

Italy 直面する arguably the most important match in their history against Scotland next Saturday

Italy have lost their last 24 matches, meaning the 信用性 of the Six Nations is in question?

?Since 2000, Italy have won just 12 of their 102 matches, 製図／抽選 one and losing 89

The uncomfortable truth is that the 選手権's weakest link could reach an unwelcome ４半期/4分の1-century in five days' time. They have lost their last 24 matches in this 損なう quee event - and only the Scots' 明言する／公表する of 混乱 供給するs any 現実主義の hope of 避けるing a 25th 連続する loss.

Italy's last Six Nations 勝利，勝つ （機の）カム five years ago. In all, since their admission in 2000, they have played 102 matches, won 12 of them, drawn one and lost the remaining 89. Fourteen of their 20 （選挙などの）運動をするs have ended with a 木造の spoon for finishing 底（に届く） of the pile.

Their 24-game losing streak （太陽，月の）食／失墜s the previous 記録，記録的な／記録する; 17 敗北・負かすs in a 列／漕ぐ／騒動 苦しむd by フラン, between 1911 and 1920. And it isn't as if Italy have been mightily unlucky either. Only two of those 24 results have been by 選び出す／独身-人物／姿／数字 利ざやs. They have been beaten ひどく, time after time after time, at home and away.

For Six Nations 公式の／役人s, the competitiveness of the event must be prioritised over the 控訴，上告 of a nice 週末 away in Rome. 冒険的な 長所 is all that 事柄s. This is not a 観光旅行，事業 contest, さもなければ the Italians would be 争う with フラン for the 肩書を与える every year.

Fo r Six Nations 公式の／役人s, the competitiveness of Six Nations must come before tradition

Their 悲惨な predicament comes at a time when rugby is 直面するing 新たにするd 激変, after Sportsmail's 排除的 story that South Africa are on course to join the Six Nations after the next World Cup.?

The 新規加入 of the Springboks would 大幅に 高める the northern 半球's 年次の tournament, ーに関して／ーの点でs of pure, on-field pedigree.

At this 行う／開催する／段階, the 一時的に 計画（する） is for the South Africans to take their place in an 拡大するd Seven Nations, but with player 福利事業 in mind, they should 取って代わる the weakest link.?

Italy's presence could galvanise the second-tier European Nations 選手権, where Georgia have been imperious for years. For the greater good, their demotion makes sense. It is up to them to 証明する さもなければ.

WASPS OWE HUGE DEBT TO AXED YOUNG?

Dai Young deserved better than to be 勧めるd に向かって the 出口 at Wasps, having done a remarkable 職業 of 持つ／拘留するing the club together as director of rugby during so many years of 財政上の 騒動 after his arrival from Cardiff Blues.?

The former 二重の-code international (1)偽造する／(2)徐々に進むd a 肩書を与える-challenging 味方する when he was given the 資源s to be 競争の激しい, but 新たにするd problems behind the scenes have led to another period of 拒絶する／低下する recently.?

For now, 詳細（に述べる）s of what has occurred remain あらましの, but whoever takes 告発（する），告訴（する）／料金 - with ex-Wasps flanker Joe Worsley already 存在 指名する-checked as a 主要な 候補者 - is bound to discover that 予算上の 抑制s will 妨害する 試みる／企てるs to 点火（する） a swift 復活.?

一方／合間, there will be 憶測 about Young 潜在的に r eturning to むちの跡s and the Ospreys might 申し込む／申し出 a 海難救助 事業／計画（する） worthy of his attention.

Dai Young deserved better than to be 勧めるd に向かって the 出口 at Wasps after doing a 罰金 職業

?LIONS SHOULDN'T PLAY AT HOME - IT RUINS THE BRAND'S MYSTIQUE

It won't be a popular 見解（をとる）, but this column would argue 熱心に against 競争の激しい 外見 by the Lions in these islands.?

The 最新の 指示，表示する物s are that there will be a match in the UK before the 小旅行する of South Africa next summer, against Japan, the Maori All 黒人／ボイコットs or the Barbarians - to raise 基金s and 援助（する） 準備s for the 実験（する） series against South Africa.?

In some ways, such a fixture makes sense and there was a precedent in 2005 when the Lions took on Argentina in Cardiff before 出発 to New Zealand. But, it is a 脅し to the mystique of the whole brand. The Lions are only supposed to play in far-flung corners of the world.?

Instead of fa cing the Barbarians on home 国／地域, they should BE the Barbarians. Send out a team in that iconic shirt, under that 旗，新聞一面トップの大見出し／大々的に報道する, but coached by 過密な住居 Gatland and packed with British and Irish talent, auditioning to 直面する the Springboks.?

They can be the Lions in all but 指名する. 保存する the mystique or the precious 概念 will fade.?

The Lions are only meant to play in far-flung corners of the world - not on home 国／地域

GATLAND'S GOOD SIGNS?

Hearteningly for the Lions, Gatland has not lost his touch after stepping 負かす／撃墜する as むちの跡s 長，率いる coach.?

On Sunday, his Waikato 長，指導者s 味方する （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域 the Sunwolves 43-17 in Tokyo; their third 連続した 勝利，勝つ in this year's 最高の Rugby tournament. Only the Stormers from Cape Town can match the 100 per cent 記録，記録的な／記録する of Gatland's 長，指導者s.?

一方／合間, the Sunwolves - who are 存在 削減（する） from the southern-半球's unwieldy 地方の 競争 after this season - drew a （人が）群がる of 18,000 at Prince Chic hibu 記念の Stadium, in contrast to empty stands at many other 発生地s.?

It was a 調印する of the times to see Eden Park all-but 砂漠d for the Kiwi derby between the Blues and their 訪問者s from Christchurch, the 改革運動家s.

SWEENEY IN CRISIS MODE ALREADY??

法案 Sweeney hasn't even been 長，指導者 (n)役員／(a)執行力のある of the RFU for a year and he is already in 危機-管理／経営 方式. The union are under 解雇する／砲火／射撃 for 削除するing 基金ing to the 選手権. やめる 権利 too. The 批評 is 絶対 正当化するd.?

Sweeney has 試みる／企てるd to 正当化する what 量s to a 厳しい 商売／仕事 決定／判定勝ち（する）, but he is at the 舵輪／支配 of a 治める／統治するing 団体／死体 with a 義務 to 保護する the health of the 国内の game. They are failing in that 義務, in this instance.?

In the last 財政上の year, the RFU 地位，任命するd vastly-増加するd 歳入 and 利益（をあげる）s, but 減ずるd 投資 in both professional rugby and rugby 開発.?

This short-notice pulling of the 財政上の rug from under the 選手権 clubs is a disgraceful betrayal. It is a carve-up with 首相の職 Rugby - who are 達成するing （犯罪の）一味-盗品故買者ing by the 支援する door.?

The 団体／死体 代表するing the エリート clubs is 推定する／予想するd to be self-serving. The RFU is not. What they have agreed to is shameful. Instead of 統括するing over 拡大, they are 許すing the sport at 国内の level to be crudely 減らすd.?

法案 Sweeney has not been 長，指導者 (n)役員／(a)執行力のある of the RFU for a year and he is in 危機 方式 already