Italy deserve to be in Six Nations - Ian McKinley

Dublin - The Six Nations championship has a "lot to gain" from having Italy involved, their former fly-half Ian McKinley told AFP, despite Sunday's match with Ireland in Dublin likely to be another "difficult weekend”.

The Italians go into the match on a run of 34 successive Six Nations defeats and against an Ireland side who have won nine of their last 10 Tests, including an impressive victory over New Zealand last November.

Italy started this championship with a 37-10 defeat in France and then a dire 33-0 loss a week later at home to England.

McKinley, 32, is well versed in the ups and downs of Italian rugby having had a renaissance in his career there after losing the sight in his left eye when playing in Ireland.

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Armed with special goggles, the former Leinster and Ireland Under-20 international went on to be capped nine times by Italy for whom he was eligible under residency rules.

"Calls for promotion and relegation are valid from a rugby supporters' point of view," he told AFP by phone from his home in Northern Ireland.

"Sitting through the England game was not pretty for a rugby fan.

"However, Georgia (who are seen as potential replacements) drew with Portugal recently.

"Unfortunately Italy suffer from being in this sort of mid-category that when you come up against Canada and USA you are a bit better than them.

"But then move up a category and there is such a difference between the home nations and France to where Italy are at unfortunately.”