Italy vs Scotland, Match Thread

Losty Dublin

KO 2:25PM. Live TV on RTE 2, ITV 1, Ulster Television, and STV. Live Radio on BBC 5 Live Sports Extra and BBC Scotland and live stream on applicable apps, subject to Geo Locking. Please note that this game is not available to view on UTV Ireland.

PREVIEW Unusually, what tends to be the battle of the wooden spoon is shaping up to be a tantalising match. Scotland and Italy are playing better football than one would expect from them and can both argue, albeit weakly, that they both should have points to their credit.

In the case of the hosts, they had their chances in the opener versus a very dour and tired France and have shown a lot of flair and willingness to open out their normally staid back line. Kelly Haimona and Carlo Canna clearly have a lot to be thanked for; Italy have long suffered for the want of a talented fly half and in them they have found missing cogs, if not thee cog that will guide them towards the RWC's of 2019 and 2023. In fact, their depth in squad has improved and long may it last.

For the visitors, the identity of their great white hope is far less clear. Vern Cotter was supposed to have been the man to save Scottish rugby yet he clearly hasn't changed their fortunes. His team are currently in a run of 9 6N losses in a row and this weekends game is being touted by some as Scotland's most crucial fixture ever. Truth be known, the wider panel of players at his disposal plain aren't good enough even if some players are but he has worked hard with what he has and there have been vast improvements, no doubts about that. Heck, they were within a whisker of a RWC semi final spot!! (Above) Like Italy the new players are coming through but cohesively they are struggling bad and it's something that continues to let them down.

ON FIELD. That said, we've a game to play and play it they will. Italy have had to make a few changes due to injuries and vital ones at that. Leonardo Ghiraldini (below) returns from his RWC injury to slot in at hooker, Joshua Furno comes in at lock for Biago and his broken rib while the aforementioned Canna is replaced by the also aforementioned Haimona; Luke McClean is replaced at full back by the retuning David Odiene as well.

For Scotland, the return of Tim Visser (below) is the only change to the team who faces Wales. This will add more oomph to their 3/4 line which was missing against Wales. Several call ups on the bench as well, notable 21 year old Edinburgh prop Rory Sutherland who should earn his first cap at some stage.

VERDICT. Italy are showing more flair than they have over previous seasons. They've also got more depth than they've usually had and, having played two tougher games, their new found space based game should be too much for an eager yet raw Scotland. I'm going with a 28-23 win to the home team.

PS Italy are quite juicy odds for the win tomorrow, if you are a betting human.

PPS Where's me song, I hear you say?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9nEkrzUVAA

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Denton failed a last minute medical. Mild groin strain picked up yesterday.


Where is Canna for Italy? Haimona couldn't kick **** off a rope.

Zzippy

Great write up Losty!

Losty Dublin

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Denton failed a last minute medical. Mild groin strain picked up yesterday.


Where is Canna for Italy? Haimona couldn't kick **** off a rope.

Injured. Agree 100% that he's a better pig bladder merchant and a better fly half by far.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Losty Dublin wrote: »

Injured. Agree 100% that he's a better pig bladder merchant and a better fly half by far.

Could make all the difference if it's a tight match.

That said Haimona looked alright kicking for Zebre the other week.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Peyper is in charge....

chupacabra

Penalty for Italy surely? Knocked on/offside,

Buer

chupacabra wrote: »

Penalty for Italy surely? Knocked on/offside,

Should have been. Clear as day.

Brutal from Finn Russell followed by a couple of lovely kicks from Italy.

Buer

Terrible defending from Sarto out wide. Situation was completely in control and he stepped in, leaving Hogg with a free run down the line.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Nice try.

An offloading FB... I'm sure some will have taken note of that.

Scotland giving other nations a bit of an example of how to play there. Quick phases, nothing flashy.

trixychic

Can someone settle a debate in our house. Is the referee in a red jersey or orange???

trixychic

trixychic wrote: »

Can someone settle a debate in our house. Is the referee in a red jersey or orange???

Tangerine

LuckyGent88

Nice try by Scotland but poor defensive alignment on the wing by Italy

chupacabra

Basil3 wrote: »

Tangerine

Blue

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Basil3 wrote: »

Scotland giving other nations a bit of an example of how to play there. Quick phases, nothing flashy.

Playing the same as they did in their first two matches, which they lost.

trixychic

chupacabra wrote: »

Blue

I'm deadly serious. I'm seeing red but oh is seeing orange. One of our boys sees red and the other one sees orange!!! Driving me wrong!!!

Really great tempo from Scotland

TeoReid

Scotland love an offload

TeoReid

TeoReid wrote: »

Scotland love an offload

And scoring tries, it seems. I wonder if it will catch on.

LuckyGent88

Some lovely stuff from Scotland.

Plenty of offloads and moving point of attack quickly

chupacabra

Great stuff from Scotland so far.

chupacabra

trixychic wrote: »

I'm deadly serious. I'm seeing red but oh is seeing orange. One of our boys sees red and the other one sees orange!!! Driving me wrong!!!

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Playing the same as they did in their first two matches, which they lost.

Conor Murray should still be paying attention.

Buer

Scotland going well but Italy have been awful in defence.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Basil3 wrote: »

Conor Murray should still be paying attention.

Is Conor Murray in charge of team tactics?

razorblunt

Hardie with his 3rd try already, Denton still hasn't scored.

Italians look like their heads are gone already.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Is Conor Murray in charge of team tactics?

I'd be surprised if slow ball is an Irish tactic.

gazump123

The ball was still moving when it was picked up so it wasn't brought back into the 22?

razorblunt

Wilson's in trouble.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Peyper can't hear the people in his ear properly. We may not know when it's half time.

Buer

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

Peyper can't hear the people in his ear properly. We may not know when it's half time.

That's grand, the voices in his head will tell him.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Buer wrote: »

That's grand, the voices in his head will tell him.

He always seems to have trouble hearing them. I wonder has he had a hearing test lately?

razorblunt

Serious man love for Campagnaro, great try.

chupacabra

and i thought the music played at the Aviva was cringeworthy for tries :DD

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Haimona proving me wrong with these kicks!

LuckyGent88

Italy badly needed that response. Good conversion too

captbarnacles

Scotland are flying into rucks off their feet

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

Parisse giving Hogg the eyes there.

LuckyGent88

Scotland have scrimmaged superbly so far.

razorblunt

LuckyGent88 wrote: »

Scotland have scrimmaged superbly so far.

aye, their offensive linesmen are playing well.
A throwback to the Claymore days :pac:

trixychic

chupacabra wrote: »

Ha ha ha.

razorblunt

First time I've heard the bagpipers in the crowd when its not been half time.
Easy to know they're up by 10.

razorblunt

Got to be a yellow here, there were 4/5 offences.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

razorblunt wrote: »

Got to be a yellow here, there were 4/5 offences.

I hate that when you have a sequence like that and the ref warns the captain at the end that he'll card someone if it happens again. The players know the rules, if they're offending that many times within minutes there should be a card.

guapos

Penalty should have been reversed for Scottish players slapping Italians on the back, always hate to see teams do it

razorblunt

TICKLE_ME_ELMO wrote: »

I hate that when you have a sequence like that and the ref warns the captain at the end that he'll card someone if it happens again. The players know the rules, if they're offending that many times within minutes there should be a card.

Agreed it's as if they know the penalty is coming there's been no prior warning so they've got carte blance not to get a carte ... yellow.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

razorblunt wrote: »

Agreed it's as if they know the penalty is coming there's been no prior warning so they've got carte blance not to get a carte ... yellow.

Well done.

TICKLE_ME_ELMO

This could get interesting now. FORZA ITALIA!

LuckyGent88

Well at least he did give a yellow this time

razorblunt

The Gray brothers have no intention to stay on their feet at any ruck, defending or attacking.

Parisse almost taking the head off his winger and then tearing him out of it.