Scotland can lock up third spot within the 2023 Six Nations in the event that they safe a bonus-point win over Italy on house soil at BT Murrayfield.
Scotland’s championship began with such promise as they continued their current Calcutta Cup domination over England earlier than ending their hoodoo in opposition to Wales to move into the primary relaxation week with their grand slam aspirations nonetheless alive.
Gregor Townsend then noticed his troops slip to back-to-back defeats to France and Ireland, regardless of respectable performances in each video games. Victory over Italy would cap a stable Six Nations heading into a frightening World Cup group however a shock loss would undermine a variety of the work they’ve executed so far.
The Azzurri confirmed loads of constructive indicators of their first three video games of this championship however a winnable recreation in opposition to a Wales aspect in disarray noticed them produce a limp show and slip to a irritating defeat, giving them only one extra likelihood to salvage their Six Nations marketing campaign.
Here is all it is advisable to know concerning the fixture.
When is Scotland vs Italy and what TV channel is it on?
The match will kick-off at 12.30pm BST on Saturday 18 March. It can be proven on BBC One in addition to BBC iPlayer.
What is the staff information?
Scotland have made 4 adjustments to their beginning XV with Ollie Smith and Blair Kinghorn in for the injured Stuart Hogg and Finn Russell.
They slot into an in any other case unchanged line-up within the backs, together with high attempt scorer of the event centre Huw Jones. In the forwards, Sam Skinner and Hamish Watson are available in with Matt Fagerson dropped to the bench and Richie Gray out injured. Cameron Redpath is ready for his first look of the event as he begins from the bench.
Italy too make 4 adjustments to their beginning line-up. Exciting younger flyer Simone Gesi is available in on the wing with Edoardo Padovani out of the matchday 23 and Alessandro Fusco is at scrum-half with Stephen Varney out.
In the forwards, Marco Riccioni begins at prop and Edoardo Iachizzi is at lock with Niccolo Cannone dropped to the bench.
Scotland v Italy line-ups
Scotland: Ollie Smith; Kyle Steyn, Huw Jones, Sione Tuipulotu, Duhan van der Merwe; Blair Kinghorn, Ben White; Pierre Schoeman, George Turner, Zander Fagerson, Sam Skinner, Jonny Gray, Jamie Ritchie, Hamish Watson, Jack Dempsey.
Replacements: Ewan Ashman, Rory Sutherland, WP Nel, Scott Cummings, Matt Fagerson, Ali Price, Ben Healy, Cameron Redpath
Italy: Tommaso Allan; Pierre Bruno, Juan Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Simone Gesi; Paolo Garbisi, Alessandro Fusco; Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Marco Riccioni, Edoardo Iachizzi, Federico Ruzza, Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro, Lorenzo Cannone.
Replacements: Marco Manifredi, Federrico Zani, Pietro Ceccarelli, Niccolo Cannone, Giovanni Pettinelli, Manuel Zuliani, Alessandro Garbisi, Luca Morisi.
Odds
Scotland – 1/10
Draw – 45/1
Italy – 6/1
