🇮🇹 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #ITAvSCO #Italy v #Scotland #6nations #rugby Match Thread

I'll be live tooting the match but logistics will kick in as I relocate to Manhattan for #WALvFRA - so bear with me 😃

Both teams looking for their first win of the tournament so expect Italy to come out guns blazing.

Italy have made no changes, new head coach certain he has the right players on the pitch.

Scotland have had 7-point margins on their two losses, so bonus point consolation, but a win is needed today.

Stuart Hogg asking someone for a favour...

Italy kick off in sunny #Rome and we're off and running for #6nations #rugby #ITAvSCO 🏉

Free kick awarded to Italy and they choose to scrum down, confident, but end up giving a penalty away to Scotland. Three scrums in six minutes, which is a novel change, as most scrums take about half an hour lately.

Scotland pile on the pressure and test the Italian defence a metre or two out from the line, which bears up surprisingly well, ending with a knock on from Scotland, unforced error and Italy looking composed for now.

The home crowd is in fine voice today, and they stand and cheer as Bellini makes a stunning break, dummies, confuddles Hastings, brings the Azzuri inside the Scottish 22.

Italy seem to be trying some shenanigans to disrupt the set pieces. Line out numbers are messing with Watson's head and he's grumbling to the ref, scrums are all kinds of messy, this might be a strategy of sorts.

ITA 0-5 SCO

Polledri muffs an offload and Hogg capitalises and thunders downfield, effortlessly side stepping a few defenders for a whopping try.

Scotland score but TMO rules Watson's pass as forward, disallowed.

Ben O’Keeffe has had enough of the lineout nonsense and speaks to both captains. No more numbers munching, no more walk-ins, or free kicks and penalties.

Italy win a kickable penalty and Allan strikes the ball beautifully but rebounds off the left upright. Would have been nice to have some points in the board for half-time...

Half-time #ITAvSCO #6nations

Italy playing plenty of good #rugby but lacking the pace and precision needed. Turnovers abound with Scotland having turned over Italian ball six or more times.

See you in the second half!

#sixnations #ITASCO #ITAvECO #ITAECO

Second half #ITAvSCO #6nations #rugby kicked off to an energised Scotland doubling down on turnovers. Scotland fire up hard looking for an English-style quick try but Italy manage to snuff out the effort.