Italy vs Scotland: Six Nations talking points as Scots seek Rome win
Last Updated: 22/02/20 1:24pm
![Captains Luca Bigi and Stuart Hogg will go head to head on Saturday](https://e1.365dm.com/20/02/768x432/skysports-rugby-luca-bigi-italy_4926456.jpg?20200221112650)
Two teams in desperate need of a victory collide at Stadio Olimpico on Saturday.
Scotland travel to Rome seeking a first Six Nations victory since beating the Azzurri in the opening round of last year's tournament.
Italy have shown signs of improvement during the opening two rounds but they remain on a record losing streak of 24 Six Nations matches.
Can Italy snap that losing run or will Scotland claim a morale-boosting win? Here are the main talking points…
Townsend under pressure
![Gregor Townsend's position is under increased scrutiny](https://e2.365dm.com/20/02/768x432/skysports-rugby-gregor-townsend_4926464.jpg?20200221113308)
Gregor Townsend faced questions over his future as head coach after Scotland's early World Cup exit in Japan but things have hardly improved so far this year following defeats to Ireland and England.
The Finn Russell row has placed Townsend under even greater scrutiny but a win in Rome would relieve some of the stress from his shoulders.
Hogg's spill ride
![Hogg put his Scotland slips behind him to score a try in Exeter's win at Gloucester last weekend](https://e0.365dm.com/20/02/768x432/skysports-stuart-hogg-exeter-chiefs_4920545.jpg?20200214225027)
New captain Stuart Hogg asked to be given the responsibility of leadership before the tournament kicked-off but so far he appears to be struggling with the weight of the armband.
The star full-back blew a certain try in Dublin when he dropped the ball on the tryline while another slip led to England's winning touchdown.
Hogg took more care to plant down while scoring for Exeter against Gloucester last weekend and will now be hoping to make amends for his national side in the Eternal City.
Cummings in command
![Scott Cummings must step up in Jonny Gray's absence](https://e1.365dm.com/20/02/768x432/skysports-rugby-scott-cummings_4926465.jpg?20200221113710)
The loss of maverick playmaker Russell following his bust-up with Townsend has been blamed for Scotland's lack of creativity in the opposition 22 during their opening two Tests.
But the hand injury which has ruled out Jonny Gray could yet turn out to be an even bigger blow to Scotland. The Glasgow lock is a tackle-machine who regularly clocks up ridiculous figures in the collision stakes.
His Warriors team-mate Scott Cummings, 23, will now have to shoulder the responsibility of calling a lineout which stuttered badly against England last time out.
Azzurri's awful run
![Italy have lost 24 Six Nations matches in a row](https://e1.365dm.com/20/02/768x432/skysports-rugby-italy_4924715.jpg?20200219164922)
Italy are have gone five years since their last Six Nations win against Scotland at Murrayfield.
Their miserable run has continued so far this year but while they slumped heavily in their opener against Wales, there were signs of progress under interim coach Franco Smith against tournament favourites France two weeks ago as they scored three times in a 35-22 defeat.
As ever, they will be gunning for the Scots as they target their best hope of snatching a long-awaited win.
Will Greenwood's verdict
Taking away the first 40 minutes against Wales, Italy have been tidy. They had a good second half in Cardiff and at times they played some of their best rugby in Paris.
Sebastian Negri, Jake Polledri and Abraham Steyn are as good a back row as there is in this tournament. And I'm loving Carlo Canna playing at 12 - I never thought I'd say those words. He's a skinny beanpole who is fronting up and toughing it out. Tommaso Allan can play, Luca Morisi has got some game.
On their return to Stadio Olimpico, I genuinely think Italy have got a chance.
For all the confidence Scotland may have on the back of their performance against Ireland, they then got rolled over by England. They'll need a huge performance from Sutherland and Fagerson, who had big games in Dublin.
This is the game Italy can win and the game Scotland cannot afford to lose.
Teams
![Ben Toolis replaces the injured Jonny Gray in the Scotland second row](https://e2.365dm.com/20/02/768x432/skysports-rugby-ben-toolis_4924485.jpg?20200219125225)
Italy: 15 Jayden Hayward, 14 Mattia Bellini, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Carlo Canna, 11 Matteo Minozzi, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 Callum Braley; 1 Andrea Lovotti, 2 Luca Bigi (c), 3 Giosue Zilocchi, 4 Alessandro Zanni, 5 Niccolo Cannone, 6 Jake Polledri, 7 Sebastian Negri, 8 Abraham Steyn.
Replacements: 16 Federico Zani, 17 Danilo Fischetti, 18 Maro Riccioni, 19 Maro Lazzaroni, 20 Dean Budd, 21 Giovanni Licata, 22 Guglielmo Palazzani, 23 Giulio Bisegni.
Scotland: 15 Stuart Hogg (c), 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Sam Johnson, 11 Blair Kinghorn, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Ali Price; 1 Rory Sutherland, 2 Stuart McInally, 3 Zander Fagerson, 4 Ben Toolis, 5 Scott Cummings, 6 Jamie Ritchie, 7 Hamish Watson, 8 Magnus Bradbury.
Replacements: 16 Fraser Brown, 17 Allan Del, 18 Willem Nel, 19 Grant Gilchrist, 20 Matt Fagerson, 21 George Horne, 22 Rory Hutchinson, 23 Byron McGuigan.