Lo Cicero bids to steer Italy to new high

With 88 caps to his name, Andrea Lo Cicero is the most capped player in the Italy squad and along with flanker Mauro Bergamasco he is about to be involved in his fourth Rugby World Cup.

The 35-year-old prop forward was part of the squad at the 1999 Rugby World Cup in Wales but didn't make it on to the pitch. However, after making his Azzurri debut in 2000 he has become a firm fixture in the team and played three of Italy's matches at Rugby World Cup 2003 in Australia. In France in 2007 he started two matches and came off the bench in the other two.

"To have played in four World Cups is one of the greatest things any athlete can do," Lo Cicero said. "Playing in four World Cups, especially for a country which isn't well known for Rugby, means I have been able to help people understand Rugby and what it means around the world."

In the three tournaments in which Lo Cicero has featured to date, Italy failed to progress past the pool stages, despite high hopes in the last two that they would make the quarter-finals for the first time.

Four years ago Italian hopes ended in rainy St Etienne when Scotland full back Chris Paterson kicked six penalties to send his team through to the quarter-finals with an 18-16 win. Four years earlier it was Wales who shattered the dream in the pool stages.

This time it is likely to be Ireland that stands in Italy's way. The teams meet in the final pool match in Dunedin on 2 October, with the winner likely to advance to the last eight. The Irish are favourites after they beat Italy 13-11 in Rome in this year's Six Nations.

Tough matches

However, Lo Cicero believes Italy cannot afford to focus too much attentionon the final match, especially with tough matches against Australia, Russia and USA to come before they meet Declan Kidney's side.

"The main difference is that our Rugby has improved and raised its level," Lo Cicero said. "Now we are playing at a higher level. We are confident, but it is a long road ahead and there is still a lot of preparation and training before our first game against Australia on 11 September."

Paul Derbyshire is one of a handful of young Italian players who are appearing at their first Rugby World Cup. The flanker has impressed coming off the bench for Italy in the last two seasons since making his debut against Australia in 2009.

Derbyshire, born in Italy to an English father and an Italian mother, will have to be at his best to force coach Nick Mallett to drop Bergamasco, captain Sergio Parisse or Alessandro Zanni from the back row.

"It is pretty good to be here and I'm looking forward to my first World Cup," Derbyshire said. "I hope to play as much as possible but there are a lot of good players in this team, especially in the back row. I will have to play my best and see what happens.

"I think it's the right mix because there are plenty of young promising players and that is combined with the experienced guys. It is important for the World Cup and I think we've got the right mix."