How Italy's men changed their Six Nations narrative

Italy's men's international rugby team have gone from perennial Six Nations strugglers to talk of one day winning the competition. In the not-too-distant past, they were almost certain to be awarded the wooden spoon for finishing bottom of the table behind England, France, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In fact, throughout much of the late 2010s and the early 2020s, there was plenty of demand for Italy to be removed from the tournament, and a relegation and promotion system brought in to make up for their record 18 campaigns propping up the rest.

Francesco Palma, editor-in-chief at OnRugby.it and a contributor to Gazzeta dello Sport tells Ade Adedoyin how the arrival of Gonzalo Quesda as head coach in 2024, coupled with an exciting crop of young players, including Tommaso Menoncello, has changed the mentality of the side and its supporters.

Rugby Union Correspondent at the Times, Mark Palmer, explains why Italy's impressive win over Scotland in the opening round of the 2026 Six Nations was not considered to be the huge upset it would have been five years ago and proves the side is heading in the right direction ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Every Monday to Friday, More than the Score tells stories beyond the scoreline from all over the world of sport. From the Winter Olympics to the Super Bowl, the Australian Open to the Diamond League, and netball to Formula 1. We've got interviews with extraordinary athletes like skimo star Emily Harrop, snowboarding icon Scotty James and cycling sprint king Harrie Lavreysen, as well as the experts working behind the scenes, from the referees who run VAR to the coaches keeping athletes in peak form. Plus, we've got the expertise of the BBC's top journalists, who share their insights from decades of covering sport at all levels. And if you've got your own take on the stories we cover, we'd love to hear from you. Email morethanthescore@bbc.co.uk, or WhatsApp us on 0044 800 032 0470. You can find more information, along with our privacy notice, on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/morethanthescore