The Five Nations championship will comprise six countries from 2000 after Italy was officially invited to join the party yesterday by the tournament's organising committee.

The committee made its decision in Paris and the Italian federation confirmed in Rome that they were being welcomed on board having been informed of the news by committee president Allan Hosie of Scotland and the president of the International Board, Wales's Vernon Pugh.

The 10 committee members from the English, French, Welsh and Scottish federations were unanimous in their support for an Italian entry, although the English representatives noted the Rugby football Union, the sport's governing body in England, had to ratify the move. The RFU will meet on February 20th when it is expected to do just that.

Italian federation president Giancarlo Dondi said he believed this was a "pure formality. I am convinced nothing is going to overturn the decision taken today," he said.

Italian rugby has progressed by leaps and bounds over the past few seasons with Frenchman Georges Coste in charge, and its place at the top table of the international sport comes following the team's recent 32-15 win over Ireland.

French joint-coach Pierre Villepreux, who previously coached at club level in Italy, spoke on behalf of the other federations in welcoming the Italians. "They deserve it as they have for a few years now been beating Five Nations teams quite regularly. I'm very happy for them."