Italy's poor performance this season has accelerated calls for change.
World Rugby chairman Bernard Lapasset has added his voice to the growing calls for the introduction of a relegation/promotion play-off to the Six Nations.
The move would open up the tournament to Tier 2 nations like Romania and Georgia who, despite improving their standards in recent years, have little exposure to elite competition.
The expansion of the Five Nations to include Italy in 2000 saw brief improvements in the Azzurri performances, but a series of non-competitive displays in this year's Championship signalled that the Italians remain well short of the levels reached by the other top European nations.
New boss Conor O'Shea will of course be looking to change that, but there is a growing feeling that if there is a repeat in future that Italy, or whoever finishes bottom of the Six Nations table, should be made to earn their place in the following season's edition.
We need to change the format of the Six Nations championship," Lapasset, who will hand the reins of World Rugby over to Bill Beaumont, told French newspaper Le Figaro.
"This competition should open, either direct [promotion] or via a play-off."
