Italy must forget last year's best-ever Six Nations performance if they are to make sure of reaching the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time, coach Pierre Berbizier believes.
"Enthusiasm has grown after the success in the Six Nations but now we must keep our feet on the ground," Berbizier told a press conference Monday.
Last season Italy won two games in the Six Nations for the first time ever - against Scotland away and at home to Wales - and expectations are high that they can emerge from the World Cup group stage if they beat Scotland in what is likely to be their Pool C showdown.
In warm-up matches last month, the Azzurri failed to impress in beating Japan 36-12 in Rome but roared back to form against Ireland in Belfast and were unlucky to lose 23-20 to a controversial late try.
Italy's bruising pack, led by Gloucester flanker and captain Marco Bortolamo and fed by inspirational veteran scrum half Alessandro Troncon - who will play in his fourth World Cup - is among the most feared in the world.
And, since taking over from All Blacks legend John Kirwan two years ago, Berbizier has eliminated the sloppiness and poor tackling that proved Italy's downfall so often in the past.
"We have forged our identity and the goal is to keep showing it," the 42-year-old former France scrum half said.
"They've been two wonderful years and I hope this World Cup will cap all the work we've done".
After the toughest imaginable start against New Zealand on Saturday, Italy are widely expected to beat Romania on September 12 and Portugal a week later to set up a qualification decider against Scotland on September 29.
Scotland's recent 31-21 warm-up victory over Ireland made it plain they will be a very different proposition from the side that gifted Italy 21 points in a suicidal first six minutes at Murrayfield.
The first three World Cup matches are scheduled within the space of just 12 days but Berbizier will then have ten days to prepare for the Scotland match, hoping for a repeat of its 17-37 win in Edinburgh in March, its first ever Six Nations away win.
"The World Cup is a long competition and we're going to need all our players. That's the philosophy of our group" Berbizier said.
Italy have played in every World Cup since the first tournament in 1987 - the only one won by the All Blacks.
Their best showing was last time, in 2003, where they managed two wins during the pool stages.
Thirteen members of the current squad played four years ago.
Here is the Italy squad:
Forwards (17): Matias Aguero, Robert Barbieri, Mauro Bergamasco, Valerio Bernabo, Marco Bortolami (captain), Martin Castrogiovanni, Carlo Antonio Del Fava, Santiago Dellape, Carlo Festuccia, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Andrea Lo Cicero, Fabio Ongaro, Sergio Parisse, Salvatore Perugini, Josh Sole, Manoa Vosawai, Alessandro Zanni.
Backs (13): Mirco Bergamasco, David Bortolussi, Gonzalo Canale, Pablo Canavosio, Roland de Marigny, Ezio Galon, Paul Griffen, Andrea Masi, Ramiro Pez, Matteo Pratichetti, Kaine Robertson, Marko Stanojevic, Alessandro Troncon.
