MacSuper Saturday; Scotland vs Italy, Kick off 12:30

Losty Dublin

Live from BT Murrayfield. Live TV on RTE 2 and BBC One from 12PM. Live radio on BBC 5 Live.

Scotland: Hogg (Glasgow); Seymour (Glasgow), Jones (Stormers), Dunbar (Glasgow), Visser (Harlequins); Russell (Glasgow), Price (Glasgow); Reid (Glasgow), Ford (Edinburgh), Fagerson (Glasgow), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), J Gray (Glasgow), Barclay (Scarlets, capt), Watson (Edinburgh), Wilson (Glasgow).

Replacements: Brown (Glasgow), Dell (Edinburgh), Berghan (Edinburgh), Swinson (Glasgow), Du Preez (Edinburgh), Pyrgos (Glasgow), Weir (Edinburgh), Scott (Gloucester).

Italy: E Padovani (Zebre); A Esposito (Treviso), T Benvenuti (Treviso), L McLean (Treviso), G Venditti (Zebre); C Canna (Zebre), E Gori (Treviso); A Lovotti (Zebre), O Gega (Treviso), L Cittadini (Bayonne), M Fuser (Treviso), G Biagi (Zebre), M Mbanda (Zebre), A Steyn (Treviso), S Parisse (Stade Francais).

Replacements: L Ghiraldini (Toulouse), S Panico (Calvisano), D Chistolini (Zebre), D van Schalkwyk (Zebre), F Ruzza (Zebre), F Minto (Treviso), M Violi (Zebre), L Sperandio (Treviso).

Introduction. It's rare that you get to say this about a Scotland game but there's a lot riding on this for the hosts. Not alone are they clear of the wooden spoon by a country mile but the fact that they are potentially able to finish second in this years championship after two impressive wins against Wales and Ireland is nothing short of remarkable. That they have Italy at home tomorrow helps their cause as they need a bonus point win; a pray to the Gods for a dour home win in Paris and an Irish collapse must do the rest of the work for them.

Team news.

Gavin Glichrist (above) comes in for Richie Grey, a late drop out through injury while Ross Ford and Fraser "Tip tackle a Sasanch early on" Browne swap over the starter/finisher hooker role in what is otherwise an unchanged team for Vern Cotten's last ever game. The reasons behind his departure are bad news for how the SFR does business but then again, with a poor record in administrating the game overall it is partially to be expected from them. But enough of that for now as they've their last time to show what could have been. Stuart Hogg, probably Scotlands stand out player of 2017, is cleared to play having cleared a concussion check up which is good news surely for the hosts and indeed the neutral fan.

Italy make four changes for the game. Tommaso Benvenuti comes in for Michele Campagnaro at outside centre. In the forwards Zebre's Maxime Mbanda (below) starts instead of Simone Favaro, lock George Biagi is in for Andries van Schalkwyk while the esrtwhile Ornel Gega takes the place of Leonardo Ghiraldini at hooker.

Something to look out for on the day are those who are now known as the finishers. Conor O'Shea has listed six forwards on his bench; a gamble, an intention to play to his strengths or is is down to a lack of flair in the 3/4 line? Only time can tell but this year the visitors results have defied their performances at time and they can fight for their supper when they want to.

I say Scotland to win by 15 after the usual Italian 70 minutes in siesta and for ice cream parlours in Murrayfield to sell out....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biL6zAMkOQs

Route1

What are peoples thoughts on the handicap Italy +27 seems quite generous. Obviously Scots will be looking for a big response after last week and Hogg back is a huge boost.

pickarooney

What do you mean by the erstwhile Ornel Gega?

DGRulz

Anyone else notice Parisse wearing the Stade armband?

This is an absolutely shocking game. Not even pro12 standard.

Peregrine

This is awful.

Squidgy Black

Canna having a shocker off the tee.

This is a real wooden spoon game.

Diabhal Beag

Italian lineout is Connacht-esque

Losty Dublin

Deleted User wrote: »

This is an absolutely shocking game. Not even pro12 standard.

If the Waltons is on TG4 then I'm switching over, no if's or but's.

Neil3030

Why does Tommaso Allan sound South African, did he ever live there?

Running Balance

Tis woeful.. are italy always the one team who play in the first game of the last day..

ArmaniJeanss

Running Balance wrote: »

Tis woeful.. are italy always the one team who play in the first game of the last day..

They've played first game of every gameday for the last few years.

Running Balance

How is this not a penalty try??

Running Balance

God italy are woeful..

Losty Dublin

Some clever if unpretty pack work from Italy at the maul and yet they still bottle it.

Neil3030

Jesus Christ Italy.

Running Balance

Connor o shea must be thinking f this!!

Squidgy Black

Running Balance wrote: »

How is this not a penalty try??

Because a penalty try is usually given when it's a sure thing that they were stopped from scoring a definite try.

With the way Italy are playing there's no such thing as a definite try for them.

:P

Losty Dublin

Running Balance wrote: »

How is this not a penalty try??

Because there hasn't been a law breach to deny the Italian attack a probable try scoring situation.

Yeah_Right

Neil3030 wrote: »

Why does Tommaso Allan sound South African, did he ever live there?

I think his dad is South African or played for SA. There is some connection.

Korat

Two really poor teams. I can't believe we lost to Scotland. They're cynical in the extreme but a decent team should punish them when they infringe.

Running Balance

Losty Dublin wrote:

Because there hasn't been a law breach to deny the Italian attack a probable try scoring situation.

Fair enough. Just seems like persistent infingements should be penalised more harshly.

Losty Dublin

Running Balance wrote: »

Fair enough. Just seems like persistent infingements should be penalised more harshly.

They were; they were punished with a yellow card. There wasn't a sure fire try blocked at any time to even warrant a penalty try.

Neil3030

OK, Italy butchered a host of opportunities there, but Barclay went into the bin for repeated infringing, and on the very next phase Scotland give away another penalty. That should really be another yellow card - you can't reset the penalty clock to zero once a guy goes in the bin.

irishman86

Such a poor game. No idea how we lost to this team. How Italy werent awarded a try when Scotland fouled countless times on the driving maul

Losty Dublin

Neil3030 wrote: »

OK, Italy butchered a host of opportunities there, but Barclay went into the bin for repeated infringing, and on the very next phase Scotland give away another penalty. That should really be another yellow card - you can't reset the penalty clock to zero once a guy goes in the bin.

There were several penalty's at the breakdown and the home team were eventually punished with a card. The next call was a penalty at the line out. Do you think that a yellow was warranted for what was a distinct unconnected penalty?

Eoinbmw

What the F has Conor O'Shea been doing with this lot?
He realy is not doing his reputation any good!

Neil3030

Losty Dublin wrote: »

There were several penalty's at the breakdown and the home team were eventually punished with a card. The next call was a penalty at the line out. Do you think that a yellow was warranted for what was a distinct unconnected penalty?

I would yes, because in my mind they are connected by the defending team using cynical play at the maul, lineout and breakdown to get out of jail.

FellasFellas

Losty Dublin wrote: »

There were several penalty's at the breakdown and the home team were eventually punished with a card. The next call was a penalty at the line out. Do you think that a yellow was warranted for what was a distinct unconnected penalty?

Well it was the second penalty in 3 minutes for pulling the man down in the lineout, so surely it should have been a yellow. Italy are piss poor but so are Scotland to be honest.

Running Balance

Why no campaganaro today??

Watching this on the beeb and the analysis waffling on about how good scotland are today!!

Jayus i could be analyst

icdg

Yeah_Right wrote: »

I think his dad is South African or played for SA. There is some connection.

Scottish, believe it or not!

Losty Dublin

Neil3030 wrote: »

I would yes, because in my mind they are connected by the defending team using cynical play at the maul, lineout and breakdown to get out of jail.

Doesn't work like that

Jessme

Jesus what a boring match. Zero atmosphere.

Running Balance

Did i hear right scotland now fifth in the world rankings??? 😕

Squidgy Black

Running Balance wrote: »

Did i hear right scotland now fifth in the world rankings??? 😕

Yup.

http://www.worldrugby.org/rankings/mru?lang=en

NZ, England, Australia, Ireland, Scotland, Wales