'This is suicide!' Irish rugby team coach receives madcap escort through streets of Rome (VIDEO)

Bizarre footage from inside the team bus shows the Irish rugby team's reaction to a daredevil police escort they received after arriving in Rome ahead of their crucial 6 Nations clash with Italy on Sunday.

Joe Schmidt, Ireland's New Zealand-born head coach, can be heard proclaiming "This is suicide!" as a single police car swerves through traffic to clear a path for the Irish team, soundtracked by a chorus of laughter from the players.

Footage from inside the bus shows the lone police car speeding through the busy Roman streets, ushering other drivers out of the path of the Irish team, more resembling a scene from 'The Italian Job' than your typical police escort.

The video came via Irish prop Dave Kilcoyne's Instagram Story and has since been reproduced around the web.

Andy Farrell, who takes over the reins as head coach after this year's World Cup in Japan, is also heard describing the driver as a "f***ing lunatic."

Irish rugby team © Paul FAITH / AFP

Ireland will hope to claim a bonus point win against Italy which would renew their ambitions to claim a second successive 6 Nations title, after Wales defeated England in Cardiff on Saturday.