Italy v England: When Will Greenwood was a boy and his father was playing club rugby for Roma, he used to amuse himself by playing on the steep stone steps of Stadio Flaminio.
The England centre recalled this week that his mother was perpetually worried he would fall and bang his head, but he never did. If England prove as surefooted in the same arena today, they will be mightily relieved.
Because, as they know better than anyone, the world champions are marked men and they face this new campaign minus the mighty Martin Johnson and the trusty boot of Jonny Wilkinson.
To make matters worse, their first-up opponents could scarcely be more enthusiastic.
The 24,973-capacity venue has been sold out for a month and there is a growing, if relative, sense that rugby is starting to interest both sexes in Italy.
"Our boys were in Cosmopolitan the other day," mused the Azzurri's coach John Kirwan last week. "That would never have happened 12 months ago."
The national captain, Andrea de Rossi, still has a way to go before he rivals Alessandro Del Piero in the recognition stakes but at least the journey has begun.
Had the Italian Rugby Federation felt slightly more adventurous they might even have come close to selling out the cavernous Olympic Stadium tomorrow. But what matters above all is the Roman numerals on the scoreboard where England have averaged 55 points in this fixture over the past three years.
The Azzurri have lost 18 of their 20 games since being admitted to the Six Nations in 2000, but Kirwan yesterday expressed the view his side have made significant strides in every area since he took over from Brad Johnstone and the side to face England is the best he has put out - or would be, without injuries.
There is certainly greater depth, even in the absence of scrumhalf Alessandro Troncon and flanker Mauro Bergamasco.
The uncapped Paul Griffen, one of three expat Kiwis in the side, is a lively customer and Denis Dallan a dangerous wing. This is no bunch of shrinking violets braced for a ritual thrashing.
Kirwan, for one, has pledged to attack England at every opportunity.
With England having had less training time together than usual, the first quarter, in particular, will be fun. Coach Clive Woodward will surely not see a repeat of last year, when his team scored five tries in the first 21 minutes.
If nothing else the Italians will be physical and pumped up by their own new captain, De Rossi, who yesterday described the game as "the most important Italy have played in the last few years".
England should pull away to win by 20 points but Rome will not be conquered easily.
ITALY: A Masi; N Mazzucato, C Stoica, M Dallan, D Dallan; R Wakarua, P Griffen; A Lo Cicero, F Ongaro, M Castrogiovanni, S Delappe, M Bortolami, A De Rossi (capt), A Persico, S Parisse. Replacements: S Perugini, C Festuccia, C Checcinato, S Orlando, S Picone, R de Marigny, M Bergamasco.
ENGLAND: I Balshaw; J Lewsey, W Greenwood, J Robinson, B Cohen; P Grayson, A Gomarsall; T Woodman, S Thompson, P Vickery, D Grewcock, B Kay, J Worsley, R Hill, L Dallaglio (capt). Replacements: M Regan, J Leonard, S Shaw, C Jones, M Dawson, O Barkley, H Paul.
