Scotland in search of Italy revenge

Scotland will be seeking to overturn their dramatic last-minute Six Nations defeat at home to Italy and restore morale at Murrayfield when they face the Azzurri in their penultimate World Cup warm-up match on Saturday.

Vern Cotter’s side suffered a 22-19 loss after conceding a late penalty try in February.

Although they notched a 16-12 win against the Italians with a shadow XV in Turin last Saturday, they will be out to settle that Murrayfield score in their only home warm-up match before crossing the border for their World Cup campaign in England next month.

"I think our mindset is different from what it was at the start of the Six Nations," said lock Jonny Gray, one of seven members of the Scotland XV who also started against Italy in February.

"That was hugely disappointing, and it always hurts when you lose, but we have made big improvements since then and the squad is in a good place.

"This is our last game at Murrayfield before the start of the World Cup and hopefully we can get things right."

Gray is one of five key players making their first appearance in Scotland’s warm-up series, which started with a 28-22 defeat by Ireland in Dublin two weeks ago.

Also returning are full-back Stuart Hogg, outside centre Mark Bennett, fly-half Finn Russell, all team-mates of Gray in Glasgow's Celtic League title-winning side last season, plus Gloucester scrum-half Greig Laidlaw, who resumes the captaincy.

Scotland have lost their last four matches at Murrayfield, most recently a 40-10 capitulation against Ireland on the final day of the Six Nations, and will be seeking to rise to the occasion in front of a crowd that will overtake the 35,264 record for a home World Cup warm-up contest, set against Ireland in 2003.

Scotland coach Cotter has made 14 changes to the team that played last week, with only veteran Glasgow wing Sean Lamont retained.

Scarlets flanker John Barclay, in line for his first start since 2013, will be playing for a place in the 31-man World Cup squad, which has yet to be finalised by their Kiwi coach.

Italy coach Jacques Brunel, who announced his World Cup party earlier this week, has made eight changes to the side beaten in Turin.

Former Scotland Under-20 fly-half Tomasso Allan returns in the number ten shirt and Luke McLean is at full-back.

But No 8 and captain Sergio Parisse is still missing because of illness.

Allan came off the bench to convert the penalty try that clinched Italy's Six Nations win in Edinburgh six months ago.

He will be joined in the line-up on Saturday by six men who started that contest, which was only Italy’s second victory on the road in the Six Nations, following a 37-17 success at Murrayfield in 2007.

Both countries have one more warm-up game after Saturday's match, with Scotland away to France in Paris on September 5 when Italy face Wales in Cardiff.

Italy open their World Cup campaign against France at Twickenham on September 19. Scotland start four days later against Japan at Kingsholm, Gloucester.
Source: AFP