Italy will need to be more "ruthless" if they are to take advantage of a "vulnerable" England in their Six Nations clash in Rome this weekend, former Azzurri captain Marco Bortolami told AFP.
And ex-coach Pierre Berbizier insisted that Italy have "the weapons" to shock Steve Borthwick's England.
In 32 previous matches, Italy have never beaten England but Bortolami, who is now Georgia's interim head coach, played in some of the closest encounters.
Six times, Italy have lost by a converted try or less, including their best ever result, a 27-24 reverse two years ago in Rome.
Bortolami, a former lock, was an Italy stalwart between 2008 and 2012 when the Azzurri lost by no more than five points in three consecutive home Six Nations clashes with England.
"I think it's definitely the best opportunity in recent years because England's team is quite vulnerable," Bortolami told AFP by telephone as he took time out from preparing Georgia for their Rugby Europe Championship semifinal against Romania in Tbilisi.
"They (England) are under massive pressure in terms of results because they lost the last two games and their expectation was so high before the tournament."
England had been dreaming of a potential Six Nations Grand Slam decider in Paris next weekend, but chastening back-to-back defeats to Scotland and Ireland have left their tournament hopes in tatters.
"When a team goes through those periods, those losses... it creates some pressure and bitter feelings," added Bortolami, who spent four years at Gloucester during his playing career and also briefly coached Sale last year.
Even so, Italy will need consistency and ruthlessness if they are to finally beat the only Six Nations side they have never tasted victory against, Bortolami said.
"Against France, the line-out didn't work well and they had a few opportunities to score but they didn't convert the pressure into points," he said of the 33-8 defeat 10 days ago.
"If you want to win a big game against a big team like England... they have to be more consistent."
Italy's pack impressed in their first three tournament matches this season: a victory over Scotland, a narrow defeat in Ireland and a valiant effort against France.
Bortolami believes Italy have the "belief and the ability" to beat England, but will need to match Borthwick's side in terms of physicality and the set-piece.
"England is under pressure, if the game is on the line in the second half, we have seen many times in the past big teams falling off the cliff against Italy: South Africa, Australia in November windows," he said.
But it is not just about what Italy do on the day against England, Bortolami insisted that their preparation will be key to their chances.
"The players need to realise they need to be as ruthless as possible in everything they do during the week because that shows up in the game," he said.
"To me, a team that is good enough to win the game but doesn't win the game, it shows that they're not ruthless enough on the small things that make a difference."
'EVERYONE FEARS ITALY'
Cheering on Italy in Rome will be Berbizier, who has been invited to watch the game by his former employers, the Italian Rugby Federation.
"Under Gonzalo Quesada, the Italians have become a team which can beat anyone," the Frenchman told AFP by telephone.
"Two years ago, they drew against us (France) but they should have won" when Paolo Garbisi hit the post with a last-gasp penalty.
"Against Ireland this year, they weren't helped by the refereeing at the end of the match," added Berbizier, who won the Five Nations as both a player and a coach of France, before Italy joined the tournament in 2000.
"They still lack a little something to get over the final hurdle – they need to be more clinical – but Gonzalo Quesada is doing remarkably well. This team is competitive, everyone fears them."
Against an England team lacking serenity and desperate "to redeem themselves", Bebizier, who was the first coach to guide the Azzurri to two victories in a single Six Nations, feels that "Italy have, especially in the breakdown, the weapons to turn English doubts into reality".