THERE are those of us who can still just about remember when Romania were considered the best team in Europe outside of the big five rugby union-playing nations of England, Wales, Scotland, France and Ireland.

It was in the 1980s that the Oaks emerged as a force, with players drawn from the police and army teams of Dinamo and Steaua Bucharest, and wins over more illustrious opponents not uncommon.

Such was the Romanians' prowess, that there was even talk of them joining an expanded Five Nations competition, as it was then, although the fall of communism and subsequent loss of state funding curtailed those ambitions.

Instead, it was Italy who emerged as the rising force and were eventually accepted as the sixth team at the top table of European rugby 18 years ago.

But since defeating Scotland 34-20 in their first Six Nations game on that memorable February afternoon in Rome back in 2000, there has been little for the Azzurri to cheer about.

Indeed, recent years have seen questioning whether Italy even deserve to be part of the tournament become as much of an annual tradition as Eddie Butler voicing a montage and Brian Moore complaining about the officiating of the scrum.

Even before the start of this year's tournament, head coach Conor O'Shea was having to field questions defending his side's place in the Six Nations, and defeats by 30-plus points to England and Ireland have done little to quell those.

O'Shea, who succeeded Frenchman Jacques Brunel as Italian national team boss in June 2016, has quickly become used to this though and has made no secret of the fact he sees this as a long-term project rather than looking for a quick fix.

Along with overseeing both domestic and European glory during his near-on eight years with Quins, the Irishman has a strong background in youth development from his time as the RFU's regional academies director.

It is little surprise, therefore, he has chosen to blood a number of young and inexperienced players alongside battle-hardened veterans like captain Sergio Parisse and Alessandro Zanni, sacrificing short-term results for long-term gains.

Unfortunately, those short-terms results are all most pundits look at and with each defeat, the clamour for Italy to be replaced in the Six Nations by Georgia grows louder.

That would be the same Georgia team who are beloved by rugby hipsters – if there is such a thing? – but, unlike the Italians, have yet to record a win against a Tier One nation and have no clubs competing in European competitions.

The main crux of the argument is Italy have not progressed in the past 18 years, although perhaps a more accurate statement would be they have not been able to catch up and keep pace with the rate the other five nations have progressed at.

Why, then, would we expect it to be any different for Georgia?

It is also worth noting 2017 was the first time in seven years Georgia did not win the second-tier European Championship. The victors? None other than Romania, who are long overdue a revival in fortunes.

THE world of horse racing is hardly noted for being willing to embrace change, although a new proposal to help attract big-brand sponsorship to the Sport of Kings is actively being considered.

It is simply known as The Series, it is the brainchild of former Swindon Town chairman Jeremy Wray and would see 12 branded teams of 30 horses and four jockeys going head-to-head in an eight-week series during the summer.

Set for launch next year, the format has the backing of the Jockey Club and trainers, along with, in principle, a broadcast agreement with ITV.

The approach of having branded teams has been likened to Formula One or professional road cycling, although teams in both of those will tell you how hard it is to attract sponsorship these days.

The odds from Ladbrokes also indicate many of the names already involved in racing will be sponsoring teams as well. However, it might be intriguing if outsiders Greggs (60/1) or Blue Nun (125/1) decide to join.

FOR those of us from countries not exactly blessed with weather conditions which are conducive to sports which require snow or ice to be played on, the Winter Olympics can perhaps best be described as niche.

But if even Mr T can find himself enthralled by curling, as the star of The A-Team and Rocky III tweeted earlier this week, then there is no reason the rest of us cannot enjoy the Games as well.

Perhaps what makes the Winter Olympics so engrossing is the fact that pretty much all of the sports involve a level of incredible danger.

Yes, even curling, as Lee Ki-Jeong found out when he tripped over a stone and was left lying on the ground in agony during Korea's mixed doubles match against Norway.

At least he avoided falling and ending up with the broom inserted somewhere awkward though.

Despite being among those countries where the climate means anyone wanting to partake in winter sports has to travel abroad, Great Britain has enjoyed a modicum of success in the Winter Olympics down the years.

But for every British triumph, there are plenty of heroic failures or hard-luck stories as well, something we perhaps do better than any other nation when it comes to sport.

After all, barely a Winter Olympics goes by without footage of Eddie 'The Eagle' Edwards gurning down at the crowds from the top of the ski-jump run before going on to finish second-last in Calgary in 1988 being wheeled out.

Then there is Alain Baxter, who in 2002 became the first British competitor to win a medal in alpine skiing, only to later lose it after failing a drugs test.

And most recently, Elise Christie seems to be doomed to have her whole career being defined by hard luck at the Olympics after crashing out in the final of the 500m speed skating after being clipped by eventual silver medallist Yara Van Kerkhof.

Hopefully the 1000m or 1500m events provide Christie with that elusive Olympic medal to get her out of that heroic failure category once and for all.

On a personal note though, the best thing about the Winter Olympics is international ice hockey on TV.

Because if angry men with no teeth and big wooden sticks from nations who all hate each other battling it out on an enclosed rink doesn't epitomise what the Olympics is all about, then I don't know what does.