Italy v Scotland Autumn nations Cup Saturday 14th November 2020

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Italy v Scotland
Autumn Nations Cup

Stadio Artemio Franchi
Florence
Italy

Saturday 14th November 2020
KO 12.45

Live on Amazon Prime


There is a very rarely documented medical condition where visitors to Florence, on stepping off the train, gaze around and go wow, or words to that effect, then promptly drop dead. Post Mortem reveals no obvious cause of death and the assumption is that they were simply overwhelmed by the beauty of Florence.

Hopefully the Scotland team won't be visiting the sites and wonders of this amazing city prior to the match and they can concentrate on dealing with the less overwhelming beauty of the Italian team in front of them. No messing about know, wheras in the 6n we were cagey and badly in need of a result, this time, we are a confident team who need a performance as much as a result, following our ground out win, important as it was to the development of this team, down in Wales.

We also need to show that we can rotate our squad around a bit and still pack a punch and this is likely to be the game to do that in, seeing as a few of our stars might be in need of a rest. Injury is going to play a part in seeing who is picked as well, with both our front line FHs missing for this one, which surely means that Duncan Weir is the most nailed on selection in the squad. He has been a bit of a talisman against Italy in the past, winning a game we did not deserve to with an outrageous drop goal a few years back.

Italy, always looking for something to prove though and are always game, though they, as Scotland did before them, struggle to play a full 80 minutes at this level without tiring badly and ending up with a loopsided score board at the end of the game. They are bringing some new players through though and the clubs continue to improve. There day will hopefully come, only please not this saturday!

I fancy we will see a much changed Scotland team this time, with a strong bench.

My guess at the team:

1. Keeble - two good cameos off the bench, surely deserves a start and Sutherland maybe needs a rest
2. Mcinally - looked hungry against Wales and Brown had a poor game
3. Berghan - slowly moving into the back up TH role
4. Skinner
5. Toolis
6. Ritchie
7. Cowan
8. Fagerson M - if fit, Thompson if not
9. Horne G - deserves a start
10. Weir - We are all looking forward to seeing that hair
11. VDM
12. Johnson
13. Harris
14. Maitland - Graham gets a rest
15. Jones H

Subs:

Bhatti
Turner
Fagerson Z
Gray J
Du Preez - has played well in his cameos
SHC
Lang - FH cover
Hogg/Kinghorn - which will allow Jones to move to 13 at some point in the second half

Well well well. We were definitely the worse side that half. Looks like we should be taking a leaf from Italy's book in terms of support! First time in a while we've been bullied up front too. Hope there's a good half time talk!

I'm a tad worried about this. They're matching our pack and our backs are unbelievably stodgy. Weir needs to step up a tad.

Ball carrier is being left exposed. Italy picking them off almost at will. They need to support much better and up the aggression.
Errors compounding errors.
It’s like the old Scotland.
Phase play in the right areas of the pitch. Too much headless chicken stuff at the minute.

VDM is the kind of player I'd love to see on the Lions, looks lethal going forward but with the current head coach his defence will need to be up to scratch too. Not seen enough of him to know how that side of his game is at the moment

Front five need to eat some wheatabix at half time

Yep, very frustrating. We need an attack plan without Finn and I'm yet to see it! This is where I miss Vern. The structured attack and offloads have just gone down the drain. Price needs to step up too, it's just been poor on the whole. Brilliant from Italy though, great to see them playing with a smile.

And prime sports can feck right off. It’s Scotland v Italy at the moment, not England v Georgia all day. The commentary is so slanted

Well hopefully a better second half

Heuer27 wrote:And prime sports can feck right off. It’s Scotland v Italy at the moment, not England v Georgia all day. The commentary is so slanted

They got the score wrong literally just as the first half finished

Heuer27 wrote:And prime sports can feck right off. It’s Scotland v Italy at the moment, not England v Georgia all day. The commentary is so slanted

About to say the same thing. Game on a knife edge who cares about talking about style points against georgia?

At least the half time talk went well

Agh these errors, ffs!

Heuer27 wrote:At least the half time talk went well

Italy's certainly did!

Probably a forward pass there at the end. Some lovely passing before that though.

Nice hands from Harris. Something. I never thought I’d say

yeah think this will be chalked off

Meatball!!! The try he was born for!

Probably was forward

Premature. He just can't get the staff!

I don’t think Johnson was expecting Harris to be able to get the ball to him

Lol bizarre.

Had me screaming at him to put the ball down there!

Harsh by Wayne Barnes. Trundles over the line.

We dederved it though

14-14

Faegerson from 40yrds.

Feel bad for Italy on that one, good lesson for kids though, don't stop playing until you know there's a penalty!

I’d put Sam HC on. Price is having a meh game at best

I think the ref should be looking at the fish hook

Ffs Jonny. Watch where yer feet are

VDM looks dangerous on every touch

Harris is our defensive, maul and knock on specialist...

Horrible feeling this is Italy's day, 20 mins to go...

NeilyBroon wrote:Horrible feeling this is Italy's day, 20 mins to go...

Felt that from the start. They just want it more.

VDM still has to work on his defence

Time to get the replacements on. Need a change up. SHC definitely, pains me to say it but Lang may tighten us up a bit in defence for Weir.

Not convinced about that 5m scrum - ref saw deceptive camera angles

Harris may be a defensive rock but he has to be with the amount of turnovers he concedes!

YASS

Great try. Turners contribution was superb too!

Looks bad for polledri.

Turner made that one. He has to be pushing for the backup slot at 2. All action ball carrier which we are badly missing.

Pressure told for that try

Itsly going to miss Polledri

No 7&1/2 wrote:Looks bad for polledri.

Hopefully just precautionary but is never nice to see. Especially a player who has contributed so much to the match

Welcome back SHC, always too good a player to have been away from international rugby so long. Glad he’s finally got himself back on track!

Kinda expect weir to score a droppie soon!

Tommy Allan sliced his leg on the hoarding. Probably a result of the very small and narrow pitch.

Turner has been good

Looked like a try

Perfect try

Italy maybe a bit unlucky - all came from a knock-on call from a line out that looked like it had been knocked back by Johnny Gray unless I missed something?