Italy will bank on "invisible preparation" for their clash with Wales this weekend.
Fitness trainer, Frenchman Pascal Valentini, is adamant that it will be the small things that make the difference against Steve Hansen's side.
On the massage room door at the Novotel in Canberra there is a note which says: "Don't lower your guard on key points like:
1. keeping up your water intake
2. drinking your mineral salts and energy drink only immediately before, after and during training sessions,
3. taking magnesium at least twice a day,
4. resting about one hour at 1,30 pm,
5. going to bed at 10,30 pm (sleep is very important)
6. making the right choices when you are eating.
IT WILL BE YOUR INVISIBLE PREPARATION WHICH MAKES THE DIFFERENCE.
The azzurri are convinced that Valentini is right and are quite confident about the Wales game.
"We must believe in our own strenghts - flanker Andrea De Rossi said -. In the last two games we have defended well, but often failed to give the ball carrier support. This probably happens because we dont't have enough faith in our ability to attack".
Andrea De Rossi who fumbled a lot of balls in the game that Italy narrowly won against Canada said that the next morning he received a message from his mum, in Italy, saying that no wonder he dropped all those balls wearing an old pair of gloves which didn't even have the fingers in them. She promised she would knit him a better pair.
"We are in a good mood - De Rossi said - and we feel that against Wales we have nothing to lose".
Coach John Kirwan, talking about pressure, said that Italy vs Wales will be a game between a team who desperately want to win, Italy, and another who can't afford to lose,Wales. The first is a positive type of pressure, the second can have a negative influence, but could also be very motivating.
By naming 6 forwards out of the 7 replacements for the game against Wales, Kirwan admitted to expecting a very physical game, in which he is ready to risk everything, banking on a turnover of forwards, with Cocco Mazzariol the only player covering for the positions from scrum half to full backs.
"It's the game of our life - said Kirwan - and we must be prepared to dare".