Tuesday 21 February 2017 11:52, UK
Sir Clive Woodward says relegation should be introduced to the Six Nations, accusing Italy of becoming “soft and complacent”.
Italy sit bottom of the Six Nations after defeats in their opening two matches to Wales and Ireland, with a scoring differential of -79.
The Azzurri conceded nine tries during their 63-10 defeat to Ireland at the Stadio Olimpico and now face the prospect of a daunting trip to Twickenham on Sunday to play reigning champions England.
Before the tournament, newly-appointed head coach Conor O'Shea challenged Italy to prove they belonged in the Six Nations and silence calls from the likes of Georgia and Romania for a promotion-relegation play-off.
However, O'Shea's side have so far failed to rise to that challenge and Woodward says Italy need to prove they belong in the elite tier of European rugby.
Writing in the Daily Mail, Woodward said: "The organisers have let Italy and the competition down badly by not introducing relegation play-offs long ago.
"As fully paid-up members of the cosy Six Nations club, Italian rugby has become soft and complacent, the hunger and ambition that drove them on for years has vanished. Tough love is what Italy need now.
"Relegation play-offs - possibly relegation itself - would actually strengthen Italy immeasurably. It will bring back their fighting spirit. Relegation is the life blood of Premier League football and the fight to stay up has always been a huge part of competitive sport.
"Wales, Scotland and France have all finished bottom of the Six Nations and they should not be immune from the play-offs either. If one of the big teams is having a bad spell, they must earn their place in the Championship. Get real guys, it's the world we live in."
