Italy may be last in this year's Six Nations, but coach Brad Johnstone says his squad is close to challenging the world's power countries.

In three seasons since the tournament was expanded to include them, Italy has won just one match, losing all four games so far in 2002, but even though he is under pressure and his team unlikely to beat England this weekend, Johnstone is optimistic about the future.

"In Ireland, I saw a very concentrated and motivated team and finally they have become a unit thanks to being together for some time," Johnstone said of Italy's 32-17 loss to Ireland two weeks ago.

"Now Italy is in the same condition as the other teams in the Six Nations, who have been together for a lot longer than us, and that gives us great faith.

"This situation will put us in a good position - not only for Sunday's game with England but it will also give us a good chance for the World Cup in 2003."

Johnstone had set his team the task of winning two games this season, but though flyhalf Diego Dominguez has scored plenty of points, the side's aggression has cost it dearly.

Prop Salvatore Perugini copped a 20-week ban for head-butting Ireland scrumhalf Peter Stringer in Dublin, and his place in the team has been taken by Gloucester's Federico Pucciariello.

The rest of the team beaten by Ireland has been retained, though Giovanni Ranieri is under a cloud with a throat infection, and Johnstone is looking for a committed effort:
"Against England, I need the squad to be at 100 percent," said Johnstone.

Italy team to face England in the Lloyds TSB Six Nations at the Stadio Flaminio, Rome on Sunday, April 7:

G Peens (Piacenza); N Mazzucato (Benetton Treviso), C Stoica (Castres), G Raineri (Roma) OR C Zanoletti (Calvisano), D Dallan (Benetton Treviso); D Dominguez (Stade Francais), A Troncon (Monteferrand); G de Carli (Calvisano), A Moscardi (captain, Benetton Treviso), F Pucciariello (Gloucester), M Bortolami (Padova), M Giacheri (Sale Sharks), A Persico (Viadana), M Bergamasco (Benetton Treviso), M Phillips (Arix Viadana)

Replacements: A Moretti (Calvisano), C Nieto (SKG GRAN Parma), S Dellaph (Arix Viadana), A De Rossi (Calvisano), M Mazzantini (Benetton Treviso), R Pez (Rotherham), Cristian Zanoletti (Calvisano)