Brendan Gallagher’s feature: Glint of gilded youth in Scotland v Italy

And so to the RBS Six Nations annual wooden spoon ‘decider’ between Scotland and Italy  – the two nations between them have finished last in 13 of the 15 completed tournaments to date – which over the years has developed a unique feel and dynamic and become one of the most competitive and spikey fixtures in the calendar. The Six Nations isn’t all about Grand Slams and Triple Crowns.
Both teams are always desperate for the win with their season often hinging on this one result. It’s no different this time around. Yet again this Saturday’s fixture is a tipping point. Win and there is just a chance of kicking on and achieving mid-table respectability, lose and yet another wooden spoon and post mortem beckons.
For all the obvious improvements under Vern Cotter Scotland narrowly lost their first two games against France and Wales while Italy were put away convincingly by reigning champions Ireland and last season’s runners-up England in the toughest of starts.
There were crumbs of comfort in both camps but you can’t live on crumbs. Scotland got absolutely no joy from officialdom against Wales, especially in the latter stages when Wales seemed to offend, unpunished, with impunity but the fact remains that for all the extra flair and penetration they are now showing Scotland still go into headless chicken mode when encamped on the opponents’ line.
In the white heat of battle Scotland need to take a deep breath, count to five and come up with a couple of simple set plays from ruck ball on the line, designed over a cup of coffee in the peace and tranquillity of a training room.
Scotland can’t be faulted for effort and commitment but that’s exactly what teams short on big wins and confidence do, they re-double their efforts as a kind of self-defence mechanism against censure and to keep the crowd on side. Visibly they want their total commitment there for all to see… but that doesn’t always make for clever winning rugby.
What Scotland actually need is way less grunt and the kamikaze putting of bodies on the line and much more calculated thought. That is the default setting of serial winners. Making the switch is going to be a quantum leap for Scotland but if they can make that transition they have the makings of a good side.
Italy defended well against Ireland and only coughed up two tries when they were reduced to 14 men after Leonardo Ghiraldini received a harsh yellow card and they attacked fluently to score three excellent tries against England, only to concede six themselves. If the Italians could combine their defensive effort in Rome and the attacking flair of Twickenham they would be on their way to something much better.
“The Scotland game is always big for us and at least this year we travel to Edinburgh after a week off which gives us a chance to rest a little after a tough start to our schedule,” says Italy captain Sergio Parisse, right.
“We have to take the positives out of Twickenham, to score three tries against a side like England was good and we have to retain that in our game while paying more attention to our defence. This Scotland side has shown a lot of attacking intent so we know what is coming and we have to be prepared. We must show the two sides of our game in one match.”
Buried within the bigger picture at Murrayfield will be a fascinating head-to-head between two of the best young centres in Europe.
Mark Bennett has looked a massive talent ever since playing three straight years in the Scotland U20 side at the Junior World Cup and that pace and awareness even prompted Cotter to sign him for Clermont when he was in charge of the French giants.
That move didn’t quite work out but Bennett, still only 22, has continued to develop apace with Scotland Sevens and under Gregor Townsend‘s attack minded Glasgow Warriors. Bennett, originally from the Cumnock and Ayr clubs, now looks a very high calibre player indeed as he demonstrated against both France and Wales recently. Scotland have finally unearthed a centre around which they can build their midfield.
Ditto Italy in Luca Morisi, in fact Italy have two exceptional young centres because Michele Campagnaro is going to make a big splash as well but alas is out for the foreseeable future with a knee injury.
Morisi, like Campagnaro a recent graduate of the Italy U20 squad, had his arrival in the Six Nations delayed a year by an unfortunate injury in November 2013 when he was felled, legally, by a pile driving tackle from Fiji‘s Asaeli Tikoirotuma which damaged his spleen, so much so that he had to undergo surgery.
That left much of last season as a write-off but Morisi has been making up for lost time and was absolutely outstanding in defeat at Twickenham.
In the first half he helped make Italy’s opening try for Parisse while in the second half he showed gas and strength to beat three England defenders for his first try and in the second showed the one hand try-scoring instincts of a Rory Underwood or Brian O’Driscoll to score his second. A star was born.
Overall Scotland lead the series 9-6, a series which started so memorably in 2000 with what is still probably the biggest game in Italian rugby history, their 34-20 win over the reigning champions at the Stadio Flaminio in their first ever Six Nations game.
There have been other notable Italy wins not least 37-17 in 2007, their only away win in the tournament. That was when Scotland gifted Italy three tries in the first six minutes, two interceptions and a charge down which left them 21-0 behind with the match barely underway.
There have been happier moments though for Scotland not least with a thumping 34-10 win two years ago at Murrayfield when many were predicting an upset win and their last minute victory through a dropped goal from Duncan Weir in the Olympic Stadium a year ago which halted a run of three consecutive defeats in Rome.
Despite Richie Gray’s tournament ending injury you have to make Scotland favourites, it’s their match to lose surely, but this is a fixture that plays little heed to the form book.