Scotland vs Italy, Sat 9 Feb 2:30pm

thomond2006

Scotland:
15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Sean Lamont, 12 Matt Scott, 11 Tim Visser, 10 Ruaridh Jackson, 9 Greig Laidlaw,
8 Johnnie Beattie, 7 Kelly Brown (capt), 6 Rob Harley, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Richie Gray, 3 Euan Murray, 2 Ross Ford, 1 Ryan Grant.

Replacements: 16 Pat MacArthur, 17 Moray Low, 18 Geoff Cross, 19 Alastair Kellock, 20 David Denton, 21 Henry Pyrgos, 22 Duncan Weir, 23 Max Evans.

Italy:
15 Andrea Masi, 14 Giovambattista Venditti, 13 Tommaso Benvenuti, 12 Gonzalo Canale, 11 Luke McLean, 10 Luciano Orquera, 9 Tobias Botes,
8 Sergio Parisse (c), 7 Simone Favaro, 6 Alessandro Zanni, 5 Francesco Minto, 4 Quintin Geldenhuys, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Andrea Lo Cicero.

Replacements: 16 Davide Giazzon, 17 Alberto De Marchi, 18 Lorenzo Cittadini, 19 Antonio Pavanello, 20 Paul Derbyshire, 21 Edoardo Gori, 22 Kristopher Burton, 23 Gonzalo Garcia.

Date: Saturday, February 9
Kick-off: 14:30 GMT
Venue: Murrayfield
Referee: Jaco Peyper (South Africa)
Assistant referees: John Lacey (Ireland), Leighton Hodges (Wales)
Television match official: Marshall Kilgore (Ireland)

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_8478704,00.html



100th cap for Andrea Lo Cicero today.

corny

A repeat performance for the Italians would be enough to win but i have it in my head they're not going to travel well this week. Scotland by 8.

19543261

thomond to the rescue

My heart says Italy for this - and that's all I'm listening to!

liammur

I'd back the scots to win this.

efb

Forza Italia!

liammur

Scots playing well, a loose game should suit them.

grey_so_what

The colours are very similar,

All I can see is a sea of blue!!!....

razorblunt

Scots will have to change the shorts at half time surely

Irlandczyk

grey_so_what wrote: »

The colours are very similar,

All I can see is a sea of blue!!!....

Yet again, yeah! Think this happens all too often in Rugby, to be honest! Those blues aren't just similar, they're exactly the same!

Fishooks13

Botes is a quality 9. Scotland getting away with murder at the breakdown

corny

Fishooks13 wrote: »

Botes is a quality 9. Scotland getting away with murder at the breakdown

Agreed. Constantly falling over on the wrong side. Referee just focusing on one side here.

thomond2006

Couple of errors costing Italy.

liammur

Scots are outfoxing them. If he had scored that, game over.

liammur

Too easy. Typical Italian performance.

thomond2006

liammur wrote: »

Too easy. Typical Italian performance.

Italy were the better team in the first 15 minutes.

Fishooks13

liammur wrote: »

Too easy. Typical Italian performance.

ffs :rolleyes:

Are you trying to say they aren't trying or something?

razorblunt

Good to see Visser on the scoresheet these games are his only chance to put his name forward now.

Laidlaw must be kicking himself onto the plane in some capacity also.

liammur

thomond2006 wrote: »

Italy were the better team in the first 15 minutes.

Ah they weren't. Scots look like they can score anytime they go downfield.

Swiwi

Bit of Greco-Roman wrestling there...

thomond2006

liammur wrote: »

Ah they weren't. Scots look like they can score anytime they go downfield.

Watch it back. Italy were better and Scotland were getting away with a lot at the ruck.

13-0 is not a fair scoreline at all. Don't write off Italy just yet, although they need to stop making errors. Parisse and Favaro having massive games.

PerrinV2

Italien mistakes are killing them atm

liammur

thomond2006 wrote: »

Watch it back. Italy were better and Scotland were getting away with a lot at the ruck.

13-0 is not a fair scoreline at all. Don't write off Italy just yet, although they need to stop making errors. Parisse and Favaro having massive games.

Italy haven't looked dangerous at all. I agree they've had plenty of ball, but that's it.

Fishooks13

This game is far from over. Italians need to start playing the ref as well as Scotland are though

19543261

The breakdowns looking like a mess

thomond2006

liammur wrote: »

Italy haven't looked dangerous at all. I agree they've had plenty of ball, but that's it.

Parisse knocked on a pass that would have put him through, Italy have been closer than you think. Scotland's defence has been solid but they are playing on the edge. As long as they don't give away penalities, Scotland's aggressiveness at the breakdown has been good.

Italy need to put more pressure on Jackson in the second half, they can't allow players like Visser to get space in possession.

liammur

Getting into the oponents 22 once in a half is not good enough. If Scots play smart they can win this one well.

Fishooks13

19543261 wrote: »

The breakdowns looking like a mess

Scotland just falling over as they please to spoil ball. They did their homework on the ref. Italy being far to passive at the breakdown in defense in comparison

I really don't think either side will trouble us too much even with home advantage playing like this

liammur

thomond2006 wrote: »

Parisse knocked on a pass that would have put him through, Italy have been closer than you think.

Italy need to put more pressure on Jackson in the second half, they can't allow players like Visser to get space in possession.

I agree, Scots have looked v dangerous. But a poor game overall so far.

Fishooks13

liammur wrote: »

Getting into the oponents 22 once in a half is not good enough. If Scots play smart they can win this one well.

Scotland have only been in the Italian 22 twice

Swiwi

Half-time summary for anyone joining the action: very much has the semblance of a wooden-spoon match, both sides relatively full of endeavour, but inevitably there is an error to halt the play. Italy look less fluid than last week, and Orquero is a bit hero to zero. Scotland have basically offered nothing, but have picked up 1 try and lead on the scoreboard. Apparently Maitland is playing for Scotland, but you wouldn't know it. As others have said, Botes the Italian 9 has looked lively, he doesn't dither with the ball, and looks the best 9 Italy have had in a long while.

If Italy can score first after the break, especially a try, it's game on.

Fishooks13

liammur wrote: »

I agree, Scots have looked v dangerous. But a poor game overall so far.

Scotland have been really abject with ball in hand bar the Visser try

.ak

Especially annoyed maitland has been quiet compared to last week - I swapped visser for maitland n my fantasy team!!

19543261

I completely forgot to make changes to mine, stuck with it now

Swiwi

.ak wrote: »

Especially annoyed maitland has been quiet compared to last week - I swapped visser for maitland n my fantasy team!!

It's not his fault...I feel like I'm watching a Rabo Direct match between the lesser lights, play hasn't gone his way, and Scotland don't have a BOD or Smith in mid-field to create anything.

I guess he maybe could go looking for the ball a bit more, but he's fairly light for a wing, so not the type to crash it up.

Swiwi

As an aside, I like Peyper as a ref, he doesn't try and be centre-stage, but he could do with penalising both sides early on if they keep the "tackle flop" going...

19543261

Italy to score in the first 15 :cool:

liammur

I think Shane Horgan summed it up perfectly there.

Swiwi

.ak wrote: »

Especially annoyed maitland has been quiet compared to last week - I swapped visser for maitland n my fantasy team!!

You were saying...

liammur

That's another example of just how easy they are cutting through them.

19543261

Ah for ****s sake

thomond2006

Superb by Maitland, awesome play.

thomond2006

liammur wrote: »

That's another example of just how easy they are cutting through them.

Self-praise is no praise

Fishooks13

try Scotland, game over now. Italy seem fatigued

.ak

Swiwi wrote: »

You were saying...

I get points for that.

19543261

thomond2006 wrote: »

Self-praise is no praise

Ooooo :P

eigrod

was that not crossing/obstruction in that move ? Thought he took the prospective tackler right out of it.

Swiwi

Italy need to pull Orquero IMO

thomond2006

Swiwi wrote: »

Italy need to pull Orquero IMO

Too late now unfortunately, big margin for Italy to claw back.

liammur

thomond2006 wrote: »

Self-praise is no praise

Just calling it as I see it, a good team would hit Italy for 50+ today.

Fishooks13

Swiwi wrote: »

Italy need to pull Orquero IMO

Ya he's been awful!

.ak

Holy crap.