After calling on his team to play with the same passion as they drive, Italy coach John Kirwan now wants them to throw a party against Wales on Saturday.
However the guest list will be missing several key names as the Azzurri count the cost of their punishing tournament schedule of four games in 14 days.
Mirco Bergamasco (fractured cheekbone) and lineout specialist Marco Bortolami (shoulder) have both been ruled out of the crunch Pool D game in Canberra.
And Italy have been forced to delay naming their side with major concerns over captain Alessandro Troncon (collar bone), Andrea Masi (hip) and Manuel Dallan (leg) following the bruising victory over Canada on Tuesday.
“We’re pretty beaten up and not in good shape but unfortunately this is our lot given our schedule,” said Kirwan.
“You would have to say that we are the underdogs by a long way for two reasons. Firstly we have no time to recover so we will go into this important game without any training and secondly the injury situation has not helped.
“We have been fortunate up until now but we have lost critical players in critical positions.
“However we’re under no pressure. We’re bruised and tired but if we go out and play the game of our lives and show plenty of courage then you never know.
“I want the players to express themselves by forgetting any pressures and enjoying the game. We showed against Wales (in February) that when we are mentally free and happy we play well and this is our aim again. It’s going to be a party for 80 minutes and whenever Italians are faced with a party they know how to have a good time.”
Despite another chaotic Italian press conference led by media liaison officer and new cult figure Giacomo Mazzocchi, a cross between Fawlty Towers’ Manuel and Iraqi Defence spokesman Comical Ali, the mood is far from jovial.
The Italian squad’s mood was further darkened by World Cup organisers who refused to allow wives or family into the official post-match function on Tuesday.
Kirwan said: “It was like going back 20 years. Some of those people had travelled thousands of miles to be there at the game.”
