Scotland have selected their side to face Italy at Murrayfield this Saturday, and it contains a whole host of recognisable names. Only Sean Lamont survives Vern Cotter’s team overhaul, which is not surprising considering the form of the ex-Northampton man. He partners the powerful Tim Visser on the wing. The back three is completed by the returning Stuart Hogg, whose vision and pace will be crucial weapons both in this match, and in the World Cup.
Familiar Feel To Scotland Side As They Look To Kick On
After his excellent cameo off the bench in last weekend’s away triumph against the Azzurri, Peter Horne will be looking to make the 12 shirt his own, particularly in the current absence of Alex Dunbar. Horne looks to have upped his game considerably since his nervy Six Nations appearances, and his playmaking ability in the centres should complement his fellow Glaswegian – fly-half Finn Russell – who also returns to the Scottish side. Note: it was with Russell at 10 and Horne at 12 when Glasgow lifted the Pro12 title in May, so the combination has proven success already, and Scottish supporters will hope for that chemistry to continue.
Alongside Horne in the midfield is Mark Bennett – Bennett was one of the few standouts for the Scots in the Six Nations, scoring two tries and playing a considerable role in more. The centre pairing does appear to be a little lightweight however, and with the might of the South Africans and Samoans in their World Cup pool, Cotter will have to keep an eye out on how defensively robust they are together.
Unsurprisingly, Greig Laidlaw returns to captain the Scots and although the competition of his rivals, Henry Pyrgos and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, is fierce, Laidlaw has proven his effectiveness behind the Scottish pack, is a vital leader, and is of course, the first-choice goal kicker. His reliability will be welcomed and he is the right man to lead Scotland into the World Cup.
In the front-row, Alasdair Dickinson and Ross Ford return to win their 44th and 88th appearances respectively, both bringing tremendous ballast and quality to the Scottish scrum. William Nel comes in at tighthead to make his first international start after an impressive substitute appearance last weekend, and these three will be charged with taking on the historically powerful Italian scrum, in a match-up that will be key in determining the game’s outcome.
Sandwiched between the front row’s waists at scrum time will be Jonny Gray and Grant Gilchrist. Cotter will be hoping that this game helps to ease the pain of this – no doubt one of his biggest selection headaches. Scotland are blessed with locks at the moment, with the Gray brothers, Gilchrist and Jim Hamilton. All four of these men will certainly be taken to the World Cup but in what order? Only time will tell.
Arguably the boldest selection however, is that of John Barclay. The Scarlet returns to make his first Scotland start since 2013, and that will be very encouraging for all Scottish fans who have been crying out for him for some time. Barclay is a strong breakdown unit, renowned for his ability to steal opposition ball, and the battle for the openside flanker jersey between him and Blair Cowan will be an intriguing one. David Denton appears to have the No. 8 shirt nailed down, and Glasgow flanker, Ryan Wilson, will make his tenth appearance against Italy.
The forward battle will be the acid test for Scotland. The Italian pack is arguably one of the best in the world in the first-half, before they begin to tire. If the Scots can match or better them in the scrum, breakdown and lineout in the first 40, then they will be able to confidently face any side in the world. Scotland made a meal out of their fixture against Italy in the Six Nations so they will have the opportunity to put aside those demons this Saturday.
Hopefully this weekend will help to clarify Cotter’s squad selection and his favoured combinations. One thing is already clear – this is a must-win game for Scotland.
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