Italy v Scotland Saturday 22nd February 2020

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Italy v Scotland
Stadio Olympico
Rome

Saturday 22nd February
KO 15.15


Well a very important game for both sides bearing in mind they are both two from two the wrong way around. The traditional wooden spoon game looks like it might be living up to its billing again.

Both sides have proved they can play a bit, Italy against France and Scotland against Ireland, but both have shown their lack of killer instinct as well. Scotland in particular have given a masterclass in wasted possession in their first two games.

Both teams will feel this is a game that that can and should win and the winner may come from whoever deals with the pressure of that the better. Scotland have started both games so far pretty well, which is one big positive you can take from the new Toonie era. It used to be traditional for us to give everyone a head start and then play catch up. If we get our noises in front a bit in this game, then I feel we will probably win quite comfortably. If it is close though, then it becomes anyone's game. In truth Italy should have won the last time we played in Rome and they easily could do so again.

So what about selection for this game?

We have lost twice now and so, despite playing well, some changes are appropriate. We may get some hints when we get a squad update probably tomorrow.

A few players showed some pretty good form last night in Glasgow. In Llanelli this afternoon, the weather made it more of a lottery again and it was difficult to see any standouts.

Johnny Gray is the only known injury from the first two rounds and he will now sit out the rest of the championship. Some of our other walking wounded will be back though, Skinner came through a game for Exeter on Friday night and Matt Fagerson was in barn storming form for Glasgow as well. Darcy Graham has been spotted training with Scotland again and shown doing so in social media postings.

I am hoping we may see a side out something like this:

1. Sutherland - an impressive couple of games in his international recall
2. McInally - has probably edged the battle of the hookers, but also has had wobbly darts
3. Fagerson Z - I think it is his shirt now
4. Skinner - good enough to come straight back in I think and can also cover the back row
5. Cummings - he us a talent and needs persevering with
6. Ritchie - not quite on WC form but been steady enough
7. Watson - Not been on best form yet, but has a lot of credit in the bank
8. Fagerson M - Bradbury did not play well and has been out of from, he deserves his chance
9. Horne G - in scintillating form on Friday night, a close call but he deserves his chance
10. Hastings - easiest call of all
11. Graham - would have played all three games if fit
12. Johnson - Good case for matt scott, but SJ may have been our best back in first two games
13. Jones H - Another very tight call, but may be worthy of one more crack
14. Kinghorn - a greater attacking threat than Maitland these days
15. Hogg - looked back in good form on Friday night

Subs

Dell - still lacking in options at LH
Turner - deserves a chance, had a great game on Friday night
Nel - Berghan was poor against England, so the old boy is not done yet
Craig - this seems like the game to try him out, he looks a talent as well
Gordon - this is a tight call as Haining also played well today and the choice may come down to tactics, another dynamic player or a carrier? would be happy with either
Price - touch and go with Horne
Hutchinson - deserves a decent run out this time around and can over FH and both centres
Maitland - covers the back three

Now there is replacement that makes real sense!

Italy now collapsing the scrum at will. Ref given up.

Perhaps if a European outwith the Six Nations leapfrogs one within the tournament they should be able to challenge them to a play-off. If they are unsuccessful then the result should stick for the remainder of the world cup cycle.

Hastings really has been pish.

Another very poor kick from Hastings....

Absolutely rudderless

Where's chunky Weir when you need him

Duncan Weir would be a good shout for France at this rate.

This is dreadful

Well that was a great attacking spell losing 30m

This is poor from Scotland. Italian defence well on top.

Fagerson hasn't brought anything off the bench.

None of the subs have really

One out and in. One out and in. Box kick

Utter garbage

Scott Hastings has been the highlight of this

So apparently Italy can play the ball while lying on the ground! Shocker of a decision.

That came from Fagerson being driven back 5m.

This ref has been knickers. He has stopped reffing all the things he pinged Italy for in the first half . He has literally given up.

Matt fagerson. Probably the only player who is less dominant in the tackle than gray.

Pish. Just pish

This ref has been knickers. He has stopped reffing all the things he pinged Italy for in the first half . He has literally given up.

Scotland losing their heads.

Fagerson just too lightweight for this slow turgid stuff.

Toonie clueless with the bench.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:I wonder what other nations a could have done with 20 years of development in the 6N, because it's been completely wasted on Italy

Agree. They are not progressing. Then again, neither are we....

It's not that long ago you were hammering the likes of England and Aus!

Now the ref let's Italy get to the ball when their maul collapses but we get pinged immediately..

There was also a missed high tackle on Fraser Brown earlier

Harsh yellow that.

Ref has been pish.

This game is like a throw back to the amateur era.

Both teams rotten. Ref not much better

Knickers i tell you.

Another dreadful lineout. Why can't we fix it??!

What do you call a successful executed brown line out?

I’ll let you know when I see one

Can't be too harsh on the ref, he's left the southern hemisphere summer to watch this garbage, he's probably as bored as the rest of us.

Fagerson missing a tackle now. Bring back Haining!

Quite what Toonie thinks Matt Fagerson brings that Haining doesnt I'll never know.

Watson has just been ridiculous. He's got to be the standout 7 in Europe just now.

Well this is dreary. All a bit Andy Robinson really

Watson MOTM. No brainer. Ritchie and Sutherland notable mentions.

The worst thing is the win will save Townsend

The preformed certainly shouldn’t

We’re simply not physically there. Ritchie and Watson are the only ones performing there. Sutherland wins the scrum. Toolis wins the lineout (when he doesn’t have brown missing throws to him)

Other than that this has been a mid 2000s Scotland performance.

I swear you could put Andy Henderson out there and not notice the difference

123456789. wrote:Can't be too harsh on the ref, he's left the southern hemisphere summer to watch this garbage, he's probably as bored as the rest of us.

He's the same joker I believe who was the TMO in the England v Australia match in the RWC that didn't think a 3m forward pass was clear and obvious .... worse still I think he's the ref for England v Wales?

Another clear scrum penalty ignored

Poor kick Hutch

Silly from Hutchinson there. All in all a frustrating game.

The Italy team of Lo Cicero, Castrogiovanni, Parisse etc. would have absolutely wiped us today

Heuer27 wrote:Another clear scrum penalty ignored

I know. Ref has had a poor second half in that regard.

Good way to end what's been an awful game.

At least he got that kick!

That sums it up

We win through Italian crapness

Given the amount of turnovers Scotland got they really should have won that comfortably ...

That’s it, Hastings man of the match. Edinburgh fans furious. Tattie moves to Kathmandu.

Seriously though, that might be one of the worst games of international rugby I’ve ever seen.

RDW wrote:Watson has just been ridiculous. He's got to be the standout 7 in Europe just now.

Only today and its only vs Italy.

Not saying he isn't but..

Really want us to nil them

lostinwales wrote:

RDW wrote:Watson has just been ridiculous. He's got to be the standout 7 in Europe just now.

Only today and its only vs Italy.

Not saying he isn't but..

How was outstanding against Ireland too, and for the last 3 years or so...

How many more games of Italian uselessness must be endured before they are finally removed from the competition? It’s effectively a bye week for any side who has to play them.

If we can see this through it equals our biggest ever win in Rome. Which probably shows quite how poor Italy have become.

Watson is consistently excellent every time I see him play. Open-side is a very strong position among the home nations and Ireland though.