Italy vs Scotland | Cuttitta Cup

Italy vs Scotland | Cuttitta Cup
In memory of Massimo Cuttitta

Date: Saturday 9th March 2024
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Kick-off: 2:15pm (GMT)
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
TV Coverage: Live on ITV (UK) and Virgin Media (ROI)

Teams

Italy
15 Ange Capuozzo, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Martin Page-Relo, 8 Ross Vintcent, 7 Michele Lamaro (c), 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolò Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Danilo Fischetti

Replacements: 16 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17 Spanish Mirco, 18 Giosuè Zilocchi, 19 Andrea Zambonin, 20 Lorenzo Cannone, 21 Stephen Varney, 22 Leonardo Marin, 23 Federico Mori

Scotland
15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Kyle Steyn, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Cameron Redpath, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell (cc), 9 George Horne, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Darge (cc), 6 Andy Christie, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Grant Gilchrist, 3 Zander Fagerson, 2 George Turner, 1 Pierre Schoeman

Replacements: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Elliot Millar-Mills, 19 Sam Skinner, 20 Jamie Ritchie, 21 Matt Fagerson, 22 Ali Price, 23 Kyle Rowe

Well, I don't see too many changes from the match day XXIII that put Engurlund to the sword. Who would have ever believed that we could get bored typing that sentence. See Toonie? See them English? See Duhan!!!

The only changes will be enforced by injury or Mad Tombola Fever.

Stafford for Wee Shona, Christie starting for Mbawza.

Maybe Matt F back on the bench.

We can close this thread now.

Redpath or hutchinson before lord stafford surely? The lads been doing well against benneton 2s, i get it, but Redpath and hutchinson have much higher ceilings!

Sorry Tramp, obviously I didn't make myself clear...
I think the 23 will be pretty much unchanged. The loss of Shona means Stafford will come into the 23. I fully expect Redpath, who did well against a pretty meh England side, to start at 12.

jimbopip wrote:Sorry Tramp, obviously I didn't make myself clear... but the day of our lord is finally upon us
I think the 23 will be pretty much unchanged.  The loss of Shona means Stafford will come into the 23. I fully expect Redpath, who did well against a pretty meh England side, to start at 12. play an important supporting role from the bench, applauding each of Stafford's undeniably powerful and superior tries

Sometimes you have to read between the lines.

Yup I'm in agreement with you @Jimbopip so sorry @NeilyBroon but tbh I read The Offside Line article about Pete Horne speaking about the match at the weekend and I took from it that Cammy starts and Staff on the bench due to Hutch's "lack of game time".

Schoeman
Turner
Zander F
Cummings
Gilchrist (I may have got them the wrong way round though so feel free to edit of I have )
Christie
Darge
Dempsey
White
Russell
DVDM
Redpath
Jones
Steyn
Kinghorn

Hepburn
Millar-Mills
Matthews
Skinner
Matt F (if fit)
Horne
McDowall
Rowe/Patterson

That's my stab at the team so rate my effort out of 10 @HazelSapling/Jimbopip .

Highland Shaun wrote:Yup I'm in agreement with you @Jimbopip so sorry @NeilyBroon but tbh I read The Offside Line article about Pete Horne speaking about the match at the weekend and I took from it that Cammy starts and Staff on the bench due to Hutch's "lack of game time".

Schoeman Skooo-ey
Turner
Zander F Ragnar (The Pretty)
Cummings
Gilchrist (I may have got them the wrong way round though so feel free to edit of I have ) Who cares, they're lumps.
Christie
Darge
Dempsey
White
Russell Dancer
DVDM
Redpath
Jones Shug Or CaJonez as a pair.
Steyn seaman
Kinghorn Blarehorn

Hepburn
Millar-Mills
Matthews
Skinner
Matt F (if fit)
Horne
McDowall
Rowe/PattersonBanjo

That's my stab at the team so rate my effort out of 10 @HazelSapling/Jimbopip .

2/10 please use correct nomenclature in future.

The Tombola has been stuck in 6/2 mode recently so we may see Mbwaza on the bench in place of Rowe/Banjo. No room for The Very Ordinary Healey: if Dancer has to leave the field Blarehorn to 10 and Shug to 15 with Lord Stafford gracing the ordinary folk with his presence.

Italy by 25.

mikey_dragon wrote:Italy by 25.

Some horrendous foreshadowing...

If any team could give Italy a win like that, it'd be Scotland!

I reckon Scotland by 2 points and a try bonus.

It's going to be a slightly odd watch this one with Jake Polledri retiring a mere matter of weeks after Matteo Minozzi. At a point in time those two looked like truly world class players, often in relatively weak sides. Polledri's carrying was something really special. Whilst Minozzi was absolutely electric. It's such a shame.

The Italy back row and back three are still strong to be fair. Still, it would've been wonderful to see Lamaro and Polledri on either flank or a back three of Capuozzo, Minozzi and Ioane. What might have been, 'ey.

Teams out....

Umm not sure how I feel about the 6:2?? I'm also guessing white has taken a knock??

1 Schoe
2 Turner
3 Ragnar
4 Gilchrist
5 Cummings
6 Christie
7 Darge
8 Dempsey

9 Horne
10 Dancer

11 Dwayne
12 Redpath
13 Shug
14 Seaman
15 King Blairhorn

16 Ashman
17 Schrödinger's Tiffany
18 Millar mills
19 Principal
20 Ritchie
21 Fagerson Jr
22 Price
23 Mullet

Gréât team! White is being rested for this one apparently, he’s played a lot of rugby. That’s a good decision, Horne has been good n searing form and deserves a start and a chance to prove he can start and control a game away from home for Scotland.

We finally went to 6:2. Should have done it against France and England but we finally do it against Italy...when we probably did not have to.

Fingers crossed Toonie goes for it against Ireland.

Hazel Sapling wrote:We finally went to 6:2. Should have done it against France and England but we finally do it against Italy...when we probably did not have to.

Fingers crossed Toonie goes for it against Ireland.

I'm just worried about backs. If one of our centres gets crocked does that mean Finn moves to 12, Rowe to 15 and Blairhorn 10? Equally if Finn gets crocked we're relying on Blairhorn again, which given we now have Healy feels like an unnecessary risk. If both Finn and a centre get crocked (entirely possible, both high abrasion) then we're friar tucked and looking at Horne on the wing with price at sh, Blair at 10, Fagerson in the centres. Just a mess waiting to happen. 5:3 works for us so I'm not sure I see the benefits of 6:2.

It feels it'd only take one injury to pile pressure on us. Italy will be really up for this game. We need to have put it to bed by 60-70 mins otherwise I think we'll lose.

6n time is the best and worst time to be a Scottish rugby fan.

For weeks folk complain that Hickey is a wasted sub, no chance he's coming on etc.  The moment Hickey is dropped, folk lose their Poopie about it, terrible decision, what happens if Finn goes off etc.  

Not a reflection on anyone here, it's comments on BBC and offside line articles.

Whilst I'm moaning, The Offside line is working a fine line between being good and also terrible.  It's nice having a resource dedicated to Scottish rugby, but at the same time, it's next level terrible at spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and their latest 'live blog' thing.  It's the team announcement, no context, comment or anything else, just the team announcement.  Which is fine, but they also have a story on the team announcement, what is the 'live blog's' actual purpose, I just don't understand what they are trying to achieve with it, other than filling space.

EWT Spoons wrote:6n time is the best and worst time to be a Scottish rugby fan.

For weeks folk complain that Hickey is a wasted sub, no chance he's coming on etc.  The moment Hickey is dropped, folk lose their Poopie about it, terrible decision, what happens if Finn goes off etc.  

Not a reflection on anyone here, it's comments on BBC and offside line articles.

Whilst I'm moaning, The Offside line is working a fine line between being good and also terrible.  It's nice having a resource dedicated to Scottish rugby, but at the same time, it's next level terrible at spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and their latest 'live blog' thing.  It's the team announcement, no context, comment or anything else, just the team announcement.  Which is fine, but they also have a story on the team announcement, what is the 'live blog's' actual purpose, I just don't understand what they are trying to achieve with it, other than filling space.

I think it's more a reflection on the shared view that Toonie is awful at managing the bench. I think back to the France game we should have won, when we lost momentum that's when we needed changes, Wales the same.

I don't think anyone thinks we shouldn't have adequate cover for FH, and the centres for that matter!

NeilyBroon wrote:

Hazel Sapling wrote:We finally went to 6:2. Should have done it against France and England but we finally do it against Italy...when we probably did not have to.

Fingers crossed Toonie goes for it against Ireland.

I'm just worried about backs. If one of our centres gets crocked does that mean Finn moves to 12, Rowe to 15 and Blairhorn 10? Equally if Finn gets crocked we're relying on Blairhorn again, which given we now have Healy feels like an unnecessary risk. If both Finn and a centre get crocked (entirely possible, both high abrasion) then we're friar tucked and looking at Horne on the wing with price at sh, Blair at 10, Fagerson in the centres. Just a mess waiting to happen. 5:3 works for us so I'm not sure I see the benefits of 6:2.

It feels it'd only take one injury to pile pressure on us. Italy will be really up for this game. We need to have put it to bed by 60-70 mins otherwise I think we'll lose.

I'd imagine Steyn (who has played in the centre before) would move across and Rowe would come on the wing.

If Finn is injured, Blair moves to 10, and rowe goes to FB.

We've enough cover unless we're hit with multiple injuries, but that's not massively different if we go 6:2 or 5:3, as a load of injuries would screw us regardless

NeilyBroon wrote:

Hazel Sapling wrote:We finally went to 6:2. Should have done it against France and England but we finally do it against Italy...when we probably did not have to.

Fingers crossed Toonie goes for it against Ireland.

I'm just worried about backs. If one of our centres gets crocked does that mean Finn moves to 12, Rowe to 15 and Blairhorn 10? Equally if Finn gets crocked we're relying on Blairhorn again, which given we now have Healy feels like an unnecessary risk. If both Finn and a centre get crocked (entirely possible, both high abrasion) then we're friar tucked and looking at Horne on the wing with price at sh, Blair at 10, Fagerson in the centres. Just a mess waiting to happen. 5:3 works for us so I'm not sure I see the benefits of 6:2.

It feels it'd only take one injury to pile pressure on us. Italy will be really up for this game. We need to have put it to bed by 60-70 mins otherwise I think we'll lose.

I was presuming Steyn would shift to 13, Shug to 12 and Rowe comes onto the wing?

NeilyBroon wrote:

EWT Spoons wrote:6n time is the best and worst time to be a Scottish rugby fan.

For weeks folk complain that Hickey is a wasted sub, no chance he's coming on etc.  The moment Hickey is dropped, folk lose their Poopie about it, terrible decision, what happens if Finn goes off etc.  

Not a reflection on anyone here, it's comments on BBC and offside line articles.

Whilst I'm moaning, The Offside line is working a fine line between being good and also terrible.  It's nice having a resource dedicated to Scottish rugby, but at the same time, it's next level terrible at spelling mistakes, grammatical errors and their latest 'live blog' thing.  It's the team announcement, no context, comment or anything else, just the team announcement.  Which is fine, but they also have a story on the team announcement, what is the 'live blog's' actual purpose, I just don't understand what they are trying to achieve with it, other than filling space.

I think it's more a reflection on the shared view that Toonie is awful at managing the bench. I think back to the France game we should have won, when we lost momentum that's when we needed changes, Wales the same.

I don't think anyone thinks we shouldn't have adequate cover for FH, and the centres for that matter!

Folk have been saying all tournament that Hickey shouldn't be on the bench as he's never coming on, especially when Kinghorn came back from injury.

We have adequate cover across the backs, unless we're struck down by a string of injuries.

Forgot about steyn!

Well I'm slightly less worried now

NeilyBroon wrote:Teams out....

Umm not sure how I feel about the 6:2?? I'm also guessing white has taken a knock??

1 Schoe
2 Turner
3 Ragnar
4 Gilchrist
5 Cummings
6 Christie
7 Darge
8 Dempsey

9 Horne
10 Dancer

11 Dwayne
12 Redpath
13 Shug
14 Seaman
15 King Blairhorn

16 Ashman
17 Schrödinger's Tiffany
18 Millar mills
19 Principal
20 Mbawza Ritchie
21 Fagerson Jr
22 Aldi Price
23 Mullet

It says a lot for our consistency that Aldi Price for White is the only real shock. I had considered The House Elf benching, and covering wing if we have multiple injuries in the backs, with Stafford covering 12, 13 &15. And selling programmes at half time. However, Hornito can fly down the flanks and Seaman and Shug can cover centres and full back. I think Italy's pack will not lack grunt so a 6/2 is probably for the best.

It’s a strong Italian side. I’m excited for this game, it could be a real thriller.

Highland Shaun wrote:Yup I'm in agreement with you @Jimbopip so sorry @NeilyBroon but tbh I read The Offside Line article about Pete Horne speaking about the match at the weekend and I took from it that Cammy starts and Staff on the bench due to Hutch's "lack of game time".

Schoeman
Turner
Zander F
Cummings
Gilchrist (I may have got them the wrong way round though so feel free to edit if I have )
Christie
Darge
Dempsey
White
Russell
DVDM
Redpath
Jones
Steyn
Kinghorn

Hepburn
Millar-Mills
Matthews
Skinner
Matt F (if fit)
Horne
McDowall
Rowe/Patterson

That's my stab at the team so rate my effort out of 10 @HazelSapling/Jimbopip .

Seems like I am not too bad at this team prediction malarkey despite what you say @HazelSapling . Only ones I got wrong are White (replaced by Horne), Matthews (Ashman keeps his bench spot), Horne (Price takes his bench spot) and McDowall who is replaced by a forward, Jamie Ritchie.
Oh and I would if I knew the nicknames Hazel , I only know Tennis players nicknames so clearly need educated on the Rugby ones so feel free to help me out .

Without Meatball to kick a last minute drop goal from 60 metres out I feel we could be in trouble.

Bring back the Meatball.

I just want a win from this - don't care if it's a drop goal ricocheting off Stafford's left buttcheek on the sideline. We need to win!

jimbopip wrote:Without Meatball to kick a last minute drop goal from 60 metres out I feel we could be in trouble.

Bring back the Meatball.

The only player who Stafford looks up to...

Him and Sideburns.

Dunncy weir did a pod with Tom English and Andy Burke earlier this week reminiscing that drop goal and the loss of the drop goal as a tactic.

6 Christie
7 Darge
8 Dempsey

That could be Scotland's first choice loosie trio for the next 5 years at least.

George Carlin wrote:6 Christie
7 Darge
8 Dempsey

That could be Scotland's first choice loosie trio for the next 5 years at least.

Swap Dempsey for muncaster in the long term (unless Dempseys one of those forwards with a long endurance career wise) then yes, looks good!

So I reckon of the xv, Russell, Fagerson, Schoe need good successors in place within the next 2 years. The rest of the squad are young enough/have replacements in the wings that we won't have to worry too much about retirement pre world cup.

Highland Shaun wrote: Seems like I am not too bad at this team prediction malarkey despite what you say @HazelSapling . Only ones I got wrong are White (replaced by Horne), Matthews (Ashman keeps his bench spot), Horne (Price takes his bench spot) and McDowall who is replaced by a forward, Jamie Ritchie.
Oh and I would if I knew the nicknames Hazel , I only know Tennis players nicknames so clearly need educated on the Rugby ones so feel free to help me out .

I am catching strays from Jimbo's posts, nothing to do with me the other HS

Not sure on Dempsey being our starter for five more years GC seeing as he turns 30 next month. It is a weird position to be in that Ritchie and M Fagerson are not included having both been nailed on starters a year ago. Those five are likely to make up our first choice backrow selection for this World Cup cycle unless there is a bolter (my guess is Ferrie or Brown).

Dempsey is just like our Jim. Can step a man in a phone box, has teeth like an abandoned graveyard and has plenty of good years left in him.

George Carlin wrote:Dempsey is just like our Jim. Can step a man in a phone box, has teeth like an abandoned graveyard and has plenty of good years left in him.

I have no idea what to make of your description. Teeth like an abandoned graveyard?????

Only change I might have made is Bayliss for Ritchie. From the Bath matches I've seen Bayliss is on very good form and covers he whole backrow. Ritchie is still not at his very best and the Scotland team is not the place to try to play him back into form (although hopefully he will be soon).

Hope to see more of Patterson soon and would like to see Hutchison given another chance (summer tour?). All in all though our depth continues to improve.

doctor_grey wrote:

George Carlin wrote:Dempsey is just like our Jim. Can step a man in a phone box, has teeth like an abandoned graveyard and has plenty of good years left in him.

I have no idea what to make of your description.  Teeth like an abandoned graveyard?????  

You should see his crown shaped like the grim reaper, just scythes through food!

doctor_grey wrote:

George Carlin wrote:Dempsey is just like our Jim. Can step a man in a phone box, has teeth like an abandoned graveyard and has plenty of good years left in him.

I have no idea what to make of your description.  Teeth like an abandoned graveyard?????  

Gnashers like a row of broken headstones is what GC meant to say.

I was out with herself this afternoon and we popped into a very chi chi coffee cafe thingy run by an ex Wasps front rower. He's buddies with Bigson so I was chatting with him and we both agreed that Italy could be due a win tomorrow. We also agreed that Engurland are rank and Oirland should roll over them like the Liebstandard Panzer battalion going into Belgium. He did say one thing that made me think,: he reckons Scotland are impressive, " They've got a real...togetherness about them."

I know what he means, but I can't quite put it into words. Which is what I wrote on most of my Political Theory finals' papers

Well I finally made it to Rome

Our cunning plan of flying in via Naples and getting the train to save a few lire was somewhat thwarted by an Italian train strike.

So I have just had a nerve shredding drive from Naples into the centre of Rome.

Driving here you are never sure if it is you that cars are honking at or someone else?

Does it really matter?

Anyway the familly and more importantly the hire car survived the journey intact.

I am sure after an Aperol Spritz or 2, I will be in a decent place as well!

Forecast is for rain tomorrow morning here then a sunnier afternoon come game time.

I am certainly not complacent, we will need to play well to win this game!

BigGee wrote:Well I finally made it to Rome

Our cunning plan of flying in via Naples and getting the train to save a few lire was somewhat thwarted by an Italian train strike.

So I have just had a nerve shredding drive from Naples into the centre of Rome.

Driving here you are never sure if it is you that cars are honking at or someone else?

Does it really matter?

Anyway the familly and more importantly the hire car survived the journey intact.

I am sure after an Aperol Spritz or 2, I will be in a decent place as well!

Forecast is for rain tomorrow morning here then a sunnier afternoon come game time.

I am certainly not complacent, we will need to play well to win this game!

Enjoy Biggee! An away day in Rome sounds an epic trip.

That’s atrocious. The Italian director dicking about not allowing the shot that shows the boy was clearly offside before picking up that ball.

Ouch. That was a sore second half

And once again, the officiating tonight was a bit iffy. I thought that whilst our boys were second best, there was a lot of offside and in at the side that the referee just let Italy get away with.
You could see our lads heads go down a bit after that poor try decision.
The Seniors need to put that right tomorrow.

I hope the cyclists that made it onto Thursdays pod with Burkey and Tommy English made it to Rome safe last night and had a well deserved glass of wine and raised as much money as possible .

Game day, time to get the big boy pants on and peer from behind my fingers.

Going to the bath friendly today so at least if the score looks ropey I can just watch the club game and pretend Scotland aren't playing today. They say that each cigarette smoked is 10 minutes off of your life. I reckon equates to 5 minutes for every minute watching Scotland play, as a Scotland fan I've already lost 20 years, on top of my exemplary family history of diabetes and stroke.

Biggee enjoy, I was there for a stag do last year at the Wales game and it was honestly the best atmosphere at any stadium I've experienced. Jealous!

Good start Italy, Garbisi is a quality 10.

This game has the makings of a cracker!

That was the messiest try in rugby history. But Scotland kept it alive, somehow, and scored.

Italy as bad as England 2 weeks ago for unforced errors....

Makes ir so much easier for Scotland.

Hold on. How can the ref penalised turner for counter rucking and going off his feet but doesn’t penalise the two Italians when they do it???

This is some game. I won't feel confident until Scotland go three scores ahead.