Scotland v Italy

[An Tarbh]

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Scotland v Italy</div>

Both sides go into this match none for two and will be looking to avoid the wooden spoon at all costs.

Italy notched their first away win at Murrayfield 2 years ago but that was gifted to them by some crazy lapses in concentration by the Scots.

If they're on the ball this time round then we should see a home win.

Italy certainly improved on their performance in Twickenham against Ireland but ultimately ran out of steam. They can't afford the same to happen in Murrayfield.

Should be a home win.

 

[Nidhogg]

Can't see this one getting away from the Scots. Italy have no momentum or form whatsoever at the moment, at least not going forward. Scotland to build on their unlucky performance against the French, Italy to keep struggeling aimlessly around the field with no apt halfbacks.

 

[dundeesmiffy]

Scotland by 15.

It'd be interesting to see Max Evans at 12 and Ben Cairns at 13. I mean, if we make up for the bulk in the back row I'm sure it wouldn't be too much of a problem. Or maybe Rob Dewey inside Max Evans.

I'd be tempted to put out Jason White and Simon Taylor as my starting second rows, they both jump in the line-out and it would add mobility, something we've missed.

 

[Fred187]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dundeesmiffy @ Feb 17 2009, 11:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Scotland by 15.

It'd be interesting to see Max Evans at 12 and Ben Cairns at 13. I mean, if we make up for the bulk in the back row I'm sure it wouldn't be too much of a problem. Or maybe Rob Dewey inside Max Evans.

I'd be tempted to put out Jason White and Simon Taylor as my starting second rows, they both jump in the line-out and it would add mobility, something we've missed.[/b]

Neither of them are real 12s, though - that's our problem, we have no decent outside halves or inside centres. Personally, I'd be tempted to put Paterson on at 10 (we know he can play there, and his kicking is superb), and then try Godman at 12 (I don't think he commands the game quite enough to be a great fly-half, but he is a good player), with either Evans or Cairns at 13. It'd be a gamble, but it might pay off...

 

[dundeesmiffy]

Godman at 12 is actually a kind of an intriguing thought, it'd certainly be useful...to be honest, apart from Hooker and Props I'd be urging most players to have something of an alternate position...I've also kind of seen it as the way forward and it's an ethos I tried/will try to put into place when I go back to rugby.

I think it's something better tried out at 'A' level or at Edinburgh first, it's bad enough putting NDL at 12 against France for this first cap...you can't expect every player to hit the ground running.

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Im not to keen on experimenting to much, if we lost this it would be the wooden spoon and Hadden would DEFINETELY lose his job. A win by 10-15 would do me fine, 2 or 3 tries would be nice as well.

 

[alexrugby]

I can not say what a hell will happen on this play

I think match will be interesting and tough

 

[dundeesmiffy]

Surley Scotland will win, please?

 

[An Tarbh]

The Italian squad has been named. Masi was originally named but he's been ruled out, Marcato and Bortolami return though.

Italy squad:

Forwards: Mauro Bergamasco (Stade Francais), Marco Bortolami (Gloucester), Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester), Carlo Antonio del Fava (Ulster), Santiago Dellape (Toulon), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Calvisano), Carlos Nieto (Gloucester), Fabio Ongaro (Saracens), Sergio Parisse (Stade Francais), Salvatore Perugini (Stade Toulousain), Ignacio Rouyet (Viadana), Josh Sole (Viadana), Alessandro Zanni (Calvisano).

Backs: Gonzale Canale (Clermont-Auvergne), Gonzalo Garcia (Calvisano), Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais); Andrea Marcato (Benetton Treviso), Paul Griffen (Calvisano), Luke McLean (Calvisano), Andrea Bacchetti (Rovigo), Pablo Canavosio (Viadana), Matteo Pratichetti (Calvisano), Giulio Rubini (Overmach Cariparma).

 

[An Tarbh]

Gilberto Pavan has been called up to the Italian squad instead of the suspended Andrea Masi.

 

[danit]

hopeless for Italy

I couldn't see the game v Ireland but result is pretty harsh, meaning Italy is completely out of form actually and probably with a huge problem in the relationship between players and coach

too many players are not performing their level (Castro, Perugini, Nieto, Bortolami, Ma. Bergamasco, Canale, Masi), crikey indeed, and I guess it won't change before next saturday

Scotland by 15 is a reasonable prediction but the spread could be wider, depending on Scots offensive attitude

 

[dundeesmiffy]

My XXII;

1. Alan Jacobson - *sigh*
2. Ross Ford - On Recent Form (ORF)
3. Moray Low - If his brains are back to normal, if not...I don't know...my ideal choice would be Craig Smith...if he's fit.
4. Simon Taylor © - ORF in that position, enough of this "lightweight pack" pish, I don't think there is much in weight between the backrow forwards we have and the locks, it's really just a matter of height. Playing Jason White at 4 isn't a "high risk" move either, he's perfectly talented at a second row; at 6"5 I might add.
5. Jim Hamilton / Ally Kellock
6. Strock - ORF
7. John Barcley - ORF, not the kind of player we need at 7 though.
8. Kelly Brown - Like Simon Taylor at times, doing some good work at Glasgow.
9. Chris Cusiter - To give him a run out at 9.
10. Phil Godman - France and Wales are obviously just a bit too much, he'll do better against the Italians, sure he'll be under pressure from the back row, but I'm sure he can handle the feeble (so far) Italian backine.
11. Thom Evans - ORF
12. Rob Dewey - I want to see him return, with Evans outside him we could have another potential center pairing giving us something we've not had in what feels like forever, options.
13. Max Evans - ORF, See above, I don't think Ben Cairns needs this match, he's had his trial at 13, give Max Evans a shot so they can both be evaluated fairly at the end of the tournament.
14. Simon Danielli - ORF, a few handling errors but what he did on the field for the most part was what we needed.
15. Hugo Southwell - ORF, will have a field day against the Italian backline if the play like they have recently, however, if its the team that played Australia we could have problems.

16. Scott Lawson
17. Alastair Dickinson - At the right position he is useful.
18. Jason White - ORF, good backrow cover also.
19. Scott Gray - Does well of the bench, give him some caps behind him before he gets right into an international role.
20. Mike Blair/Rory Lawson - Give him a rest and try someone new?
21. Chris Paterson - Failsafe for 10, 11, 14 and 15.
22. One of the Lamonts? Rob Dewey if they prefer Morrison at 12?

 

[An Tarbh]

what about Murray, surely he'll be straight into the side having played 80 mins on Sunday.

 

[Incredible Schalk]

Yup he's in.

Team to play Italy on Saturday.

15-Southwell
14-Danielli
13-Max Evans
12-Graeme Morrison
11-Thom Evans
10-Phil Godman
9-Mike Blair
8-Simon Taylor
7-John Barclay
6-Strokosch
5-Kellock
4-White
3-Murray
2-Ford
1-Jacobsen


This team is certainly much better balanced than the first few rounds.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Incredible Schalk @ Feb 24 2009, 12:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Yup he's in.

Team to play Italy on Saturday.

15-Southwell
14-Danielli
13-Max Evans
12-Graeme Morrison
11-Thom Evans
10-Phil Godman
9-Mike Blair
8-Simon Taylor
7-John Barclay
6-Strokosch
5-Kellock
4-White
3-Murray
2-Ford
1-Jacobsen


This team is certainly much better balanced than the first few rounds.[/b]

is there really nobody else bar White to play in the second row, I'm not having a go at him but surely against the Italians you'd want a specialist lock in there.

 

[danit]

Italy XV

15 Andrea MARCATO (Treviso, 13 caps)
14 Mirco BERGAMASCO (Stade Francais, 58 caps)
13 Gonzalo CANALE (Clermont Auvergne, 44 caps)
12 Gonzalo GARCIA (Calvisano, 7 caps)
11 Matteo PRATICHETTI (Calvisano, 14 caps)
10 Luke MCLEAN (Calvisano, 5 caps)
9 Paul GRIFFEN (Calvisano, 39 caps)
8 Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 59 caps)
7 Mauro BERGAMASCO (Stade Francais, 71 caps)
6 Alessandro ZANNI (Calvisano, 28 caps)
5 Marco BORTOLAMI (Gloucester RFC, 71 caps)
4 Santiago DELLAPE' (Toulon RC, 54 caps)
3 Martin CASTROGIOVANNI (Leicester Tigers, 56 caps)
2 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Calvisano, 16 caps)
1 Salvatore PERUGINI (Stade Toulousain, 57 caps)

16 Fabio ONGARO (Saracens, 61 caps)
17 Carlos NIETO (Gloucester RFC, 33 caps)
18 Carlo Antonio DEL FAVA (Ulster Branch, 34 caps)
19 Josh SOLE (Viadana, 35 caps)
20 Pablo CANAVOSIO (Viadana, 22 caps)
21 Andrea BACCHETTI (Rovigo, 1 cap)
22 Giulio RUBINI (O. Parma, uncapped)

1- 8: logic picks

9 Griffen? wrong pick
10 Mc Lean - 15 Marcato? kiddin' us? Marcato is a flyhalf, McLean is a fullback, once again Mallet shows how extravagant, weird and bizarre he can be
12 Garcia? c'mon, didn't you see enough of him? play Mi. Bergamasco at center and put Bacchetti on the winger...

a strong pack won't be enough, Scotland by 22

 

[edinburgh_gunner]

I would have thought that maybe Craig Hamilton might have been called up. Glad to see Ally Kellock finally being given his chance though.

 

[danit]

many sources reported yesterday's Nick Mallet interview (see here i.e.), talking about mistakes, lack of discipline and intelligence, etc.

an important part of the interview has been omitted, a part that's driving italian fans crazy: (about the booing at the end of the game v Ireland) "why booing if your team gave everything with heart and passion? I'm sure fans were booing due to the indivudual mistakes by the players, I'm sorry about this but it's something you have to accept on the field. Our opponents are better than us actually..."

everybody's upset about the underlined part, meaning he doesn't take responsibilities for his coaching, ascribing all the faults to the players

 

[Camberabero]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (danit @ Feb 25 2009, 12:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Italy XV

15 Andrea MARCATO (Treviso, 13 caps)
14 Mirco BERGAMASCO (Stade Francais, 58 caps)
13 Gonzalo CANALE (Clermont Auvergne, 44 caps)
12 Gonzalo GARCIA (Calvisano, 7 caps)
11 Matteo PRATICHETTI (Calvisano, 14 caps)
10 Luke MCLEAN (Calvisano, 5 caps)
9 Paul GRIFFEN (Calvisano, 39 caps)
8 Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 59 caps)
7 Mauro BERGAMASCO (Stade Francais, 71 caps)
6 Alessandro ZANNI (Calvisano, 28 caps)
5 Marco BORTOLAMI (Gloucester RFC, 71 caps)
4 Santiago DELLAPE' (Toulon RC, 54 caps)
3 Martin CASTROGIOVANNI (Leicester Tigers, 56 caps)
2 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Calvisano, 16 caps)
1 Salvatore PERUGINI (Stade Toulousain, 57 caps)

16 Fabio ONGARO (Saracens, 61 caps)
17 Carlos NIETO (Gloucester RFC, 33 caps)
18 Carlo Antonio DEL FAVA (Ulster Branch, 34 caps)
19 Josh SOLE (Viadana, 35 caps)
20 Pablo CANAVOSIO (Viadana, 22 caps)
21 Andrea BACCHETTI (Rovigo, 1 cap)
22 Giulio RUBINI (O. Parma, uncapped)

1- 8: logic picks

9 Griffen? wrong pick
10 Mc Lean - 15 Marcato? kiddin' us? Marcato is a flyhalf, McLean is a fullback, once again Mallet shows how extravagant, weird and bizarre he can be
12 Garcia? c'mon, didn't you see enough of him? play Mi. Bergamasco at center and put Bacchetti on the winger...

a strong pack won't be enough, Scotland by 22[/b]

I AGREE !!!!

Damn why does Nick is so Idiot ???

 

[Fa'atau82]

Nick Mallett is the equivalent of a 'fusion' chef.. he will mix things up in some crazy fashion and if it works he will say that he planned it all along.. if it doesn't work, he will be surprised.