[2019 Six Nations] Scotland vs Italy (02/02/2019)

[TRF_Olyy]

VS

Murrayfield
14:15, 02/02/2019​

 

[andysimcoe]

Scotland can't afford to lose this game, need some momentum against a full Murrayfield ahead of the Ireland game.

Lose this and any hopes of a top 4 finish have gone, let alone a challenge for the championship.

Pump them and take off WP Nell, switch out Russell for Hastings? Get George Horne on too?

Scotland know what it's like to lose this fixture, but I think it's crucial to get certain players game time before France away.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I didn't realise Polledri is out for the tournament too. He and Minozzi are probably two of the four players who would challenge for a spot in most tier 1 sides 23s (Negri and Campagnaro possibly the others).

Sarto on the wing please!

 

[andysimcoe]

Scotland team announced. Is Maitland injured? If not that does surprise me.

 

[Hap]

COS said Leo Sarto will be back as soon as he gets some game time with Tigers. We are so bad at the wings without Bellini and Sarto. Let's hope in a Campa's good display in a spot which is not usually his.

Minozzi and Polledri out it's something that breaks my heart. They have a great weight on the team quality and losing them makes me so angry because we can't afford to loose just these 2, we look crappier (crappier? is that correct? ) than we are. It's a shame.

 

[General Melchett]

Scotland team announced. Is Maitland injured? If not that does surprise me.

Minor hamstring injury apparently. Would have liked to have seen Hardie in for Toolis with Skinner at lock but maybe that's the plan for Ireland. D'Arcy G unlucky to miss out on the 23. Looking forward to seeing Sam Johnson make his debut.

Scotland: Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors), Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors), Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors), Sam Johnson (Glasgow Warriors), Blair Kinghorn (Edinburgh), Finn Russell (Racing 92), Greig Laidlaw (Clermont Auvergne - captain); Allan Dell (Edinburgh), Stuart McInally (Edinburgh), Willem Nel (Edinburgh), Ben Toolis (Edinburgh), Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh), Sam Skinner (Exeter Chiefs), Jamie Ritchie (Edinburgh), Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors).

 

[Reiser99]

Maybe if Italy were at full strength and in some form, but they have too many injuries and they are reliant on some players who are simply getting to the end of their career.

 

[General Melchett]

I'm looking forward to see how Townsend is going to address Italy's rush defence which stifled Scotland's attack last time. I think Scotland should come flying out of the blocks, try and get the game won by 50-60 minutes and get the key players off for a rest.

 

[big ginger 8]

Parisse is set to break BO'D's record of 65 6N appearances, some durability from him!

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

COS said Leo Sarto will be back as soon as he gets some game time with Tigers. We are so bad at the wings without Bellini and Sarto. Let's hope in a Campa's good display in a spot which is not usually his.

Minozzi and Polledri out it's something that breaks my heart. They have a great weight on the team quality and losing them makes me so angry because we can't afford to loose just these 2, we look crappier (crappier? is that correct? ) than we are. It's a shame.

Sarto looked very good for Tigers on the weekend.
Very aggressive in defense

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Sarto looked very good for Tigers on the weekend.
Very aggressive in defense

Pouring salt on the wound! I pray for no Benvenuti on the wing and the gods torment me by sticking Campagnaro out there. Oh well, at least we'll get a look at Morisi I guess.

A slightly strange weekend for picking players out of position (which I hate with a passion) rather than your best available specialist.

Scotland by.... 23

 

[Dai Perk]

I'm a lot more nervous than most, I guess, my wholly inexpert prediction is...

Scotland 14
Italy 10

...with Italy absolutely knocking on the door for a potential go-ahead try in the closing minutes, only to turn it over to a massive sigh of relief at Murrayfield.

Too specific?

 

[Scotty]

I'm a lot more nervous than most, I guess, my wholly inexpert prediction is...

Scotland 14
Italy 10

...with Italy absolutely knocking on the door for a potential go-ahead try in the closing minutes, only to turn it over to a massive sigh of relief at Murrayfield.

Too specific?

To close, italy will likely put up a good fight and drop off in the last 20 giving scotland maybe a 15 to 20 point lead at full time.

 

[Hap]

Pouring salt on the wound! I pray for no Benvenuti on the wing and the gods torment me by sticking Campagnaro out there. Oh well, at least we'll get a look at Morisi I guess.

A slightly strange weekend for picking players out of position (which I hate with a passion) rather than your best available specialist.

Scotland by.... 23

COS specified that the choice of Campa at wing comes out from the will of not turning down Morisi, who is in great shape and even if he's a natural 12 (COS would never take out Castello at 12 because of his strong defensive attitude) can adapt at 13 but not at wing. He's not that fast. In this way, COS said, we can deploy our best offensive potential.

I'm also glad not to see Benvenuti on the pitch, a player that was so promising when young became so average now.

 

[andysimcoe]

I'm going Scotland by 20.

 

[General Melchett]

Sarto looked very good for Tigers on the weekend.
Very aggressive in defense

He's as strong as an ox and so hard to stop. Very good player.

As well as starting with a win, it's key that Scotland come out unscathed injury wise because we need our top guys for the next three key games.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

COS specified that the choice of Campa at wing comes out from the will of not turning down Morisi, who is in great shape and even if he's a natural 12 (COS would never take out Castello at 12 because of his strong defensive attitude) can adapt at 13 but not at wing. He's not that fast. In this way, COS said, we can deploy our best offensive potential.

I'm also glad not to see Benvenuti on the pitch, a player that was so promising when young became so average now.

Thanks for the insight Hap. I thought Venditti was going to be a long term option, but he's never caught CoS's eye it seems. Esposito doesn't do it for me either, he's never had a decent showing in blue. I'm starting to think Italy probably won't score a try.

Italy: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Angelo Esposito, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Tommaso Castello, 11 Michele Campagnaro, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 ***o Tebaldi, 8 Sergio Parisse (c), 7 Abraham Steyn, 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Dean Budd, 4 David Sisi, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Andrea Lovotti

Replacements: 16 Luca Bigi, 17 Cherif Traore' 18 Tiziano Pasquali, 19 Federico Ruzza, 20 Jimmy Tuivaiti, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Ian McKinley, 23 Edoardo Padovani

 

[Hap]

Thanks for the insight Hap. I thought Venditti was going to be a long term option, but he's never caught CoS's eye it seems. Esposito doesn't do it for me either, he's never had a decent showing in blue. I'm starting to think Italy probably won't score a try.

Italy: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Angelo Esposito, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Tommaso Castello, 11 Michele Campagnaro, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 ***o Tebaldi, 8 Sergio Parisse (c), 7 Abraham Steyn, 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Dean Budd, 4 David Sisi, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 1 Andrea Lovotti

Replacements: 16 Luca Bigi, 17 Cherif Traore' 18 Tiziano Pasquali, 19 Federico Ruzza, 20 Jimmy Tuivaiti, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Ian McKinley, 23 Edoardo Padovani

I don't like Esposito too but COS seems to have a crush for him. He's been out for a year due to a knee injury and as soon as he came back he was in the National team. Another average player to me.

Venditti won't see the Azzurri for a lot of time, I suppose, since he's not in the Zebre's 23 as well basically from last year. Bradley seems to prefer permit players from domestic championship than him and that's a sign. He had some bad games before being put apart from the team last year but I think there's something else because a guy like him, a true fighter, doesn't deserve a treatment like this. Maybe it's his choice, since I see him very often in TV shows commentating matches and I know he's studying at university.

Next big thing at wing for us will be D'Onofrio. Give him a couple of years

For the today match I see the scottish winning, don't know by how many points. But there's always the hidden supporter part hoping for something else...

 

[Ainsthrilln]

I don't like Esposito too but COS seems to have a crush for him. He's been out for a year due to a knee injury and as soon as he came back he was in the National team. Another average player to me.

Venditti won't see the Azzurri for a lot of time, I suppose, since he's not in the Zebre's 23 as well basically from last year. Bradley seems to prefer permit players from domestic championship than him and that's a sign. He had some bad games before being put apart from the team last year but I think there's something else because a guy like him, a true fighter, doesn't deserve a treatment like this. Maybe it's his choice, since I see him very often in TV shows commentating matches and I know he's studying at university.

Next big thing at wing for us will be D'Onofrio. Give him a couple of years

For the today match I see the scottish winning, don't know by how many points. But there's always the hidden supporter part hoping for something else...

Who are the best prospects in the U20 this years?

I read that Garbisi was named man of the match, and the front row scored a couple of tries yesterday, but have only watched the highlights tweeted by FIR.

Thank you.

 

[Hap]

Who are the best prospects in the U20 this years?

I read that Garbisi was named man of the match, and the front row scored a couple of tries yesterday, but have only watched the highlights tweeted by FIR.

Thank you.

For what I know, best prospect of current U20 selection are Koffi (who played as permit player for Zebre this year) and Mazza from Calvisano. I really heard good things about Fusco, the scrum half, but above all there's Moscardi who really seems to be the crack of the group.