Conor is getting it right now says Masi

ITALY’S improved mental strength and fitness under head coach Conor O’Shea will ensure they can go toe-to-toe for 80 minutes against England in next Sunday’s Six Nations opener, insists retired Azzurri centre Andrea Masi.

O’Shea’s men will head into the Rome cash as heavy underdogs after a disastrous 2017 in which they lost ten of 11 matches – a lone 19-10 victory over Fiji in November being the only bright spot.

However, Masi does not believe recent results paint the true picture, telling The Rugby

Paper: “It’s a very exciting time for Italy and the work Conor and (attack coach) Mike Catt are doing is quite fantastic.

“I spent time with them in November and they’ve improved the team massively in terms of physicality, skills, fitness and mentality.

“If you see the results of the two PRO14 franchises, Zebre and Benetton, their performance level has improved massively this season.

“Both teams are much more competitive than before. Conor has had a big input there, so there’s been a change in the losing habit which I think we will now see in the Test match team.”

Masi added: “Mentally, I saw a very confident group of players in November who have also improved technically. Conor has been very big on skills.

“From one to 15 everybody is now able to manage the ball comfortably and, physically, where we could only play for 2030 minutes in each half before dropping off, our players are now able to last the 80 minutes.”

Italy have lost all 23 matches against England since the teams first met in 1991, with an average score in favour of the Red Rose of 40-13.

Masi, 36, whose 95 appearances for Italy included 11 defeats at the hands of the English, admits that run is unlikely to end now, but says: “I’m expecting a much more competitive game. Carlo Canna is a much more mature fly-half now and has been running the attack pretty well, and I believe our forwards will be strong. If we can stay within a score until the final few minutes it will feel like a win.”

Masi, who now coaches in the Wasps academy, added: “Whatever happens against England, I feel Italy can win two games in this Six Nations.

“I guarantee you will see the rewards of Conor’s work. He will leave Italian rugby in a much better place than it was when he joined.”