Italy v Scotland, 22 February

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Italy  v Scotland 

Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Saturday 22 February 2014
KO 14:30

Referee: Steve Walsh (ARU)
First Assistant: Jérôme Garces (FFR)
Second Assistant: Luke Pearce (RFU)
TMO: Geoff Warren (RFU)

A. Squads

1. Italy

Forwards: Martin Castrogiovanni (Toulon/FRA), Lorenzo Cittadini (Treviso), Alberto De Marchi (Treviso), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Treviso), Davide Giazzon (Zebre), Marco Bortolami (Zebre), Francesco Minto (Treviso), Quintin Geldenhuys (Zebre), Antonio Pavanello (Treviso), Robert Barbieri (Treviso), Mauro Bergamasco (Zebre), Paul Derbyshire (Treviso), Joshua Furno (Biarritz/FRA), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais/FRA), Alessandro Zanni (Treviso)

Backs: Tobias Botes (Treviso), Edoardo Gori (Treviso), Tommaso Allan (Perpignan/FRA), Luciano Orquera (Zebre), Tommaso Benvenuti (Perpignan/FRA), Michele Campagnaro (Treviso), Gonzalo Garcia (Zebre), Alberto Sgarbi (Treviso), Mirco Bergamasco (Rovigo), Angelo Esposito (Treviso), Tommaso Iannone (Zebre), Luke McLean (Treviso), Guglielmo Palazzani (Zebre), Leonardo Sarto (Zebre)

2. Scotland

Forwards: John Beattie (Montpellier), Kelly Brown (Saracens), Geoff Cross, David Denton, Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford (all Edinburgh Rugby), Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh Rugby), Ryan Grant, Jonny Gray (both Glasgow Warriors), Richie Gray (Castres), Jim Hamilton (Montpellier), Robert Harley (Glasgow Warriors), Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons), Kieran Low (London Irish), Moray Low, Pat MacArthur (both Glasgow Warriors), Ross Rennie (Edinburgh Rugby) Alasdair Strokosch (Perpignan), Tim Swinson and Ryan Wilson (both Glasgow Warriors).

Backs: Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors), Nick De Luca (Edinburgh Rugby), Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors), Max Evans (Castres), Dougie Fife (Edinburgh Rugby), Stuart Hogg, Ruaridh Jackson, Sean Lamont (all Glasgow Warriors), Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby), Sean Maitland (Glasgow Warriors), Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Duncan Taylor (Saracens), Greig Tonks (Edinburgh Rugby) and Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors).
 
B. Previous Form

9 February 2013: Scotland 34-10 Italy

17 March 2012: Italy 13-6 Scotland

19 March 2011: Scotland 21-8 Italy

C. Teams

1. Italy

15 Luke MCLEAN (Benetton Treviso, 54 caps)
14 Angelo ESPOSITO (Benetton Treviso, 1 cap)
13 Michele CAMPAGNARO (Benetton Treviso, 4 caps)
12 Gonzalo GARCIA (Zebre Rugby, 30 caps)
11 Leonardo SARTO (Zebre Rugby, 4 caps)
10 Tommaso ALLAN (Perpignan, 5 caps)
9 Edoardo GORI (Benetton Treviso, 31 caps)

8 Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 103 caps)(c)
7 Robert BARBIERI (Benetton Treviso, 32 caps)
6 Alessandro ZANNI (Benetton Treviso, 82 caps)
5 Joshua FURNO (Biarritz Olympique, 15 caps)
4 Quintin GELDENHUYS (Zebre Rugby, 43 caps)
3 Martin CASTROGIOVANNI (Toulon RC, 103 caps)
2 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Benetton Treviso, 61 caps)
1 Alberto DE MARCHI (Benetton Treviso, 14 caps)

Substitutes:

16 Davide GIAZZON (Zebre Rugby, 17 caps)
17 Matias AGUERO (Zebre Rugby, 22 caps)
18 Lorenzo CITTADINI (Benetton Treviso, 29 caps)
19 Marco BORTOLAMI (Zebre Rugby, 101 caps)
20 Paul DERBYSHIRE (Benetton Treviso, 20 caps)
21 Tobias Weitz BOTES (Benetton Treviso, 21 caps)
22 Luciano ORQUERA (Zebre Rugby, 38 caps)
23 Tommaso IANNONE (Zebre, 8 caps)

2. Scotland

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors)
14 Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors)
13 Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors)
12 Matt Scott (Edinburgh Rugby)
11 Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors)
10 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors)
9 Greig Laidlaw (Edinburgh Rugby) capitano

8 Johnnie Beattie (Montpellier)
7 Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors)
6 Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors)
5 Jim Hamilton (Montpellier)
4 Richie Gray (Castres)
3 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors)
2 Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons)
1 Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors)

Substitutes

16 Ross Ford (Edinburgh Rugby)
17 Alasdair Dickinson (Edinburgh Rugby)
18 Geoff Cross (Edinburgh Rugby)
19 Tim Swinson (Glasgow Warriors
20 David Denton (Edinburgh Rugby)
21 Chris Cusiter (Glasgow Warriors) 

22 Duncan Taylor (Saracens)
23 Max Evans (Castres)

Highlights from last year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drgcrDg7FmM

A good mix of opportunist tries and some well worked tries - when will we see the likes again?

Also, Jackson at 10 and Lamont at 13...   

The fact remains that we have never been in a position (e.g Wales winning the grand slam) with this group of players that is satisfactory to revert to.

I'd say the intensity vs SA in the summer is the closest, but we need that to truly be our bare minimum.

If we are optimistic:
- Our backs are relatively untested as they haven't had a platform. Having R Gray in the lineout and Scott Lawson's throwing should hopefully increase our possession and give more attacking opportunity. And if the scrum is solid then we'll have good options out the back.
- Fusaro: On a fast pitch we'll hopefully see him getting some turnovers. For some reason I have a feeling he'll get a yellow card. Don't know why, just a feeling.
- R Gray: He'll hopefully be able to catch some of Ford's lineouts and hopefully carry. I'd really like to see him crashing up midfield to the effect of Vunipola.
- A win might mean less chance of Ford starting.


- And we will, in years to come, have the likes of J Gray & R Gray, Rennie, Russell, Hogg, Scott, Bennett, Farndale etc all playing. If some of our youngsters are coached well enough and get the game-time they deserve, [and meet the hype], picture a team like (In form): Grant, MacArthur, Welsh, J Gray, R Gray, Du Preez, Rennie, Denton/Strauss, Cusiter, Russell, Farndale/Visser, Scott, Bennett, Maitland, Hogg. All in form and we have a formidable team.

OP updated for Italy - looks like Castro made it although I would doubt he can be 100%.

Castro is still some player! (for 60 mins then the poor fella gets pooped)

Backrow still woefully out of balance.

Reckon we'll get mugged.

Radge,

do you really care anymore ? Its getting too depressing and Saturday will be no better or improve things one iota. If they were SQ I would play the 15 that finished for The Warriors on Saturday v Cardiff for Scotland.

21st Century Schizoid Man wrote:Radge,

do you really care anymore ?  Its getting too depressing and Saturday will be no better or improve things one iota.  If they were SQ I would play the 15 that finished for The Warriors on Saturday v Cardiff for Scotland.

If only big Nakawara was Scottish! Would love to see him teach our pack a thing of 2 about taking contact, sucking in defenders and then offloading

Yes and Gray jnr was pretty awesome off the bench too - along with Finn Russell, Angie Welsh and of course The Jedi !

I'd like to say a big 'well done' to our curling boys and girls! It's possibly the most niche, acquired taste in world sport, yet every four years I become absolutely obsessed!

David Denton was interviewing Team Muirhead (possibly the ultimate contradiction in terms, that!) this evening, and the last question was to Miss Gray, the 'alternate' player, about how she felt about her team-mates' achievement, and she said "I don't know what I'm going to say to them in bed tonight!"

Wowzer.  

Say what you like about curling, I think the women should do it in bikinis.

On rugby (and drinking) does anyone know of a decent pub in Aberdeen where I will be able to catch the game and a bite to eat on Saturday?

highland_scot wrote:Say what you like about curling, I think the women should do it in bikinis.

On rugby (and drinking) does anyone know of a decent pub in Aberdeen where I will be able to catch the game and a bite to eat on Saturday?

There, fixed that for you.

jimbopip wrote:

highland_scot wrote:Say what you like about curling, I think the women should do it in bikinis.

On rugby (and drinking) does anyone know of a decent pub in Aberdeen where I will be able to catch the game and a bite to eat on Saturday?

There, fixed that for you.

I know one, Brewdog. Good buzz, good beer (although pricey), decent food but won't be able to catch the game there as they don't have TVs...

highland_scot wrote:Say what you like about curling, I think the women should do it in bikinis.

On rugby (and drinking) does anyone know of a decent pub in Aberdeen where I will be able to catch the game and a bite to eat on Saturday?

I'd say head to Triple kirks. Decent enough food. Good drinks selection & lots of screens.

GLove39 wrote:

highland_scot wrote:Say what you like about curling, I think the women should do it in bikinis.

On rugby (and drinking) does anyone know of a decent pub in Aberdeen where I will be able to catch the game and a bite to eat on Saturday?

I'd say head to Triple kirks. Decent enough food. Good drinks selection & lots of screens.

Thanks very much. Sounds decent enough - I know the chain, think I will give it a try. Can use my Yellow card which is always a plus!

highland_scot wrote:

GLove39 wrote:

highland_scot wrote:Say what you like about curling, I think the women should do it in bikinis.

On rugby (and drinking) does anyone know of a decent pub in Aberdeen where I will be able to catch the game and a bite to eat on Saturday?

I'd say head to Triple kirks. Decent enough food. Good drinks selection & lots of screens.

Thanks very much. Sounds decent enough - I know the chain, think I will give it a try. Can use my Yellow card which is always a plus!

No worries! Ahhh, the good old yellow card!

Feeling strangely confident about the weekend, think there'll be a reaction from the players.

If the pack can up their game and provide a platform I think our backs have too much. Cocky thing to say considering how bad we've been but Scott, Dunbar, Seymour and Hogg are good attacking players.

If our set-piece crumbles again we'll be in trouble though.

highland_scot wrote:Say what you like about curling, I think the women should do it in bikinis.

On rugby (and drinking) does anyone know of a decent pub in Aberdeen where I will be able to catch the game and a bite to eat on Saturday?

does that include coach Rhona? AKA Colin Hendry's long lost twin sister

Joking aside, what happened to Eve Muirhead? She was a hottie but now she's quite skinny   
The vice skip has taken over her mantle as team hottie   

I'd ask why we have diverted onto talking about curling, but lets face it, its far prettier to watch than the dross we are likely to get tomorrow

RDW_Scotland wrote:Highlights from last year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drgcrDg7FmM

A good mix of opportunist tries and some well worked tries - when will we see the likes again?

Also, Jackson at 10 and Lamont at 13...   

Should have been more too as - despite what the 'commentator' (awful voice over who gets people's names wrong , pronounces things badly year-in year-out why don't they sort this out) says - that was certainly a try from Scott in the 2nd half.

Why did you go and post that? Now *I* am even feeling optimistic.

NO! NO! NO more. We are going to lose and if we win it'll be a dire performance.

On another note I REALLY hope SJ shows the squad that video or something similar before tomorrow to demonstrate that they can do it, even under him.

Hmm, hands went backwards rule? Meh

tigertattie wrote:

highland_scot wrote:Say what you like about curling, I think the women should do it in bikinis.

On rugby (and drinking) does anyone know of a decent pub in Aberdeen where I will be able to catch the game and a bite to eat on Saturday?

does that include coach Rhona? AKA Colin Hendry's long lost twin sister

Joking aside, what happened to Eve Muirhead? She was a hottie but now she's quite skinny   
The vice skip has taken over her mantle as team hottie   

I'd ask why we have diverted onto talking about curling, but lets face it, its far prettier to watch than the dross we are likely to get tomorrow

Maybe Dave Denton should recommend his hairdresser to Eve M ?  

Just noticed the ko time in the op - worth noting it is 1.30pm UK time - 2.30 Italian time.

Hands went backwards indeed. You literally cannot throw it forwards if your hands are doing that... dare you to try

RDW_Scotland wrote:Just noticed the ko time in the op - worth noting it is 1.30pm UK time - 2.30 Italian time.

Aw naw - that means starting to drink heavily at around 10 o'clock ffs in order that it is effectively blotted from your memory. That is a feckin idiotic time to ko tbh

Just don't stop boozing from the night before...

Love to but I'm working tonight !   

Well that is a cuffing for our U20's

Ooft, thought that wss the score we were winning by!

That's embarrassing.

Ineffable wrote:

RDW_Scotland wrote:Highlights from last year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drgcrDg7FmM

A good mix of opportunist tries and some well worked tries - when will we see the likes again?

Also, Jackson at 10 and Lamont at 13...   

Should have been more too as - despite what the 'commentator' (awful voice over who gets people's names wrong , pronounces things badly year-in year-out why don't they sort this out) says - that was certainly a try from Scott in the 2nd half.

Why did you go and post that? Now *I* am even feeling optimistic.

NO! NO! NO more. We are going to lose and if we win it'll be a dire performance.

SO true - the walk back to Haymarket that day was the first time in a long while that I was genuinely happy leaving Murrayfield. Oh, apart from the last few 1872 matches there...  

Watching the Wales France game, looks like Ross Ford isn't the only hooker who doesn't hook!

France are currently playing like us

It's another example of the abuse Ross Ford getting not quite being justified - neither Hibbard or szarzeski are hooking, so it is obviously a commonly used tactic.

Just a shame we've not got the front row to make that tactic work!

Oops wrong thread

Keith wood said it two weeks ago. Can't remember which English hooker he said, but he said he's never hooked a ball in professional rugby!

If anyone fanciedms getting their Twitter rage on, the woman's curling team tweeted good luck to the Scotland rugby team and some douchebag tweeted to them accusing them of forgetting all the support they've received from the rest of Britain!

The Scotland Twitter feed replied telling them that the Scotland 7s team sent the curlers a good luck message, and they're just returning the favour.

Some people really need to get a life.

"Six Nations: Johnson says a win won’t fix problems" headline from the Jockman.

We know Scott, because if we win you are even less likely to resign.

To be fair, and much as it pains me to say it, he is correct in his assessment in the article where he says we tend to be satisfied with small peaks of performance here and there and then lapse in to our bad old ways again.

So perhaps the last 4 Scotland games under his control are part of a plan to get us on the road to consistency after all...?

RDW_Scotland wrote:If anyone fanciedms getting their Twitter rage on, the woman's curling team tweeted good luck to the Scotland rugby team and some douchebag tweeted to them accusing them of forgetting all the support they've received from the rest of Britain!

The Scotland Twitter feed replied telling them that the Scotland 7s team sent the curlers a good luck message, and they're just returning the favour.

Some people really need to get a life.

Absolutely makes my blood boil.

Weren't the curling team all Scottish anyway?

GloriousEmpire wrote:Weren't the curling team all Scottish anyway?

  

Interesting that nobody complains when the prince of Wales goes on tour with the England rugby team.

Speaking of blood boiling, had a nightmare the other day that Tommy Allen wins the game for Italy with a last minute drop goal...     

Interesting fact:

Countries qualify for Olympic curling based on their performance at the two preceding world championships. As Scotland, England and Wales all compete as separate nations, the regulatory body for work curling decided that GB's special status was unfair, and that only one country's points could count towards Olympic qualification. As Scotland are always head, shoulders, waist, legs and ankles ahead of the other UK teams (reigning world champions, donn'cha know!), GB qualifies purely through Scottish success.

That trouser sneeze on Twitter might do well to remember that!

Glorious Empire, we don't mention it because we don't have a problem with it.

Any of you Scottish guys know if its true that Danny Brough might be going to Rugby Union?

IanBru wrote:Glorious Empire, we don't mention it because we don't have a problem with it.

What he said.

Aucklandlaurie - I'm not sure, but very much hope so!

This is going to be grim today.    Win lose or draw - we will not get rid of Johnson.  There are too many creepy little cowards at the SRU to front up.   The whole situation is very sad for Scottish rugby.

SJ is a bit like a poor restauranter.  

Serves up gash,  

has a cupboard full of plates and spoons but not a cup in sight   

I refer Mr SJ to Matthew 6:31 .

what are we to drink        ??

Drink the lot mate and try to forget what will take place in Rome !                      

Heres the plan   

Ill start off with a   and follow up with more                            's, then a   and a few   throw in a bottle of  a few bottles of   some raw  and italian   . then   

Off clubbing next

Being a bit of a   ill give a   a   and a bit of   .

Invite    to the cinema share a bag of   . get a bit   

Back at my hotel down the   's , open some romantic   , show her a bit of   and   

if all goes well get a bit of    going, take away her   , get her to spank my   , shoot my   and make a       for the door    

what a  

 

  

Italy by 10 to 15. Even with a better lineout, ickle Lawson combined with dodgy Low will be under huge pressure at scrum time. Then when the mighty Edinburgh front row come on it will get even worse. Gray will win lineout but front ball isnt any good for attack.

Also consider the last three coaches and their bizarre selections at 6: Hadden picked Ally Hogg for 6 against Wales and he was terrible. Robinson picked a world class lock in Hines against France and he was lost in defence and Rab C keeps picking Wilson who had been anonymous in the last two games, again picked out of his normal position.

Surely Vern Cotter wont be as bad a selector, surely?
We can but hope, oh and maybe he will have an effective game plan!!!!!!