Italy welcome Scotland to Rome
Italy welcome Scotland to Rome

Italy v Scotland: Team line-ups, kick-off time, key quotes, predictions, odds and where to watch on TV


Our guide to the Guinness Six Nations clash between Italy and Scotland in Rome includes team news, predictions, statistics and more.

What time is kick-off & what channel is it on?

The match, which takes place at the Stadio Olimpico, will start at 1415 GMT on Saturday February 22 and will be screened live on ITV.

Italy v Scotland: Team news

Italy: Hayward, Bellini, Morisi, Canna, Minozzi, Allan, Braley; Lovotti, Bigi (capt), Zilocchi, Zanni, Cannone, Polledri, Negri, Steyn.

Replacements: Zani, Fischetti, Riccioni, Lazzaroni, Budd, Licata, Palazzani, Bisegni.

Scotland: Hogg (capt); Maitland, Harris, Johnson, Kinghorn; Hastings, Price; Sutherland, McInally, Fagerson, Cummings, Toolis, Ritchie, Watson, Bradbury.

Replacements: Brown, Dell, Nel, Gilchrist, Fagerson, Horne, Hutchinson, McGuigan.

Italy v Scotland: Odds and tips

Italy have a live chance here according to Sky Bet, who make them 9/4 to win. Scotland remain odds-on at 1/3 and are asked to concede eight points on the handicap.

Tony Calvin's recommended bet: No bet

Click here for the full preview

Italy v Scotland: Inside the camps

  • Scotland assistant coach Mike Blair on Stuart Hogg

"I think Stuart has played really well in the games. He has had a couple of unfortunate bits, particularly against Ireland with the try.

"Against England, I don't think there was a huge amount he could have done in the build-up to their try, because the ball just wouldn't stop for him. So he had to make a decision on it and we could have defended better in other phases.

"But it was great to see Stuart scoring a try - he made sure he had two hands on it when he touched down and made sure afterwards again.

"He's a confident guy and he is playing well at the moment, so we expect to see that against Italy as well.

"There have been a few things to take his mind on but we have been really pleased with how he has done.

"The group around him have helped a lot as well so he can just concentrate on playing and coming in and saying bits and bobs, creating the environment that he wants. We are really happy with how he has been leading the team."

  • Italy coach Franco Smith

"We are focused on what we want to do on the field and how to use the next three games of the tournament to build our group.

"Each game is a chance to increase our skills, we have been working together for a month to build our identity, our DNA. It is the most important aspect we are focused on.

"We think about us and what we have to do.

"The decision to confirm the line-up that played in Cardiff and Paris is aimed at building a solid base of players aware of our game, of what we want to do.

"It's important to me to have a core of players who know exactly what we want and who can act as reference points on the pitch.

"In this first month we have added and modified many aspects, the choice to confirm the starting team is to give a clear indication of the path we have chosen and the group to follow it.

"We prepared the game physically and mentally, in particular for the second phase of the match.

"We are proud and we want to win and we will have to do the right things to do it.

"Physicality is an aspect of the game of Italy that we are trying to develop more and more, it is one of the key aspects of our DNA."

Italy v Scotland: Recent meetings

2016 Six Nations: Italy 20-36 Scotland (Stadio Olimpico)

2017 Six Nations: Scotland 29-0 Italy (Murrayfield)

2018 Six Nations: Italy 13-34 Scotland (Stadio Olimpico)

2019 Six Nations: Scotland 33-20 Italy (Murrayfield)

Six Nations fixtures & results

Round One (February 1-2)

Round Two (February 8-9)

Round Three (February 22-23)

  • Italy v Scotland, Saturday Feb 22, 2.15pm, Stadio Olimpico, Rome; ITV: Ref - Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand)
  • Wales v France, Saturday Feb 22, 4.45pm, Principality Stadium, Cardiff; BBC and S4C; Ref - Matt Carley (England)
  • England v Ireland, Sunday Feb 23, 3.00pm, Twickenham, London; ITV; Ref - Jaco Peyper (South Africa)

Round Four (March 7-8)

  • Ireland v Italy, Saturday Mar 7, 2.15pm, Aviva Stadium, Dublin; BBC and S4C; Ref - Nic Berry (South Africa)
  • England v Wales, Saturday Mar 7, 4.45pm, Twickenham, London; ITV; Ref - Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand)
  • Scotland v France, Sunday Mar 8, 3.00pm, BT Murrayfield, Edinburgh; BBC; Ref - Paul Williams (New Zealand)

Round Five (March 14)

  • Wales v Scotland, Saturday Mar 14, 2.15pm, Principality Stadium, Cardiff; BBC and S4C; Ref - Angus Gardner (Australia)
  • Italy v England, Saturday Mar 14, 4.45pm, Stadio Olimpico, Rome; ITV; Ref - Pascal Gauzere (France)
  • France v Ireland, Saturday Mar 14, 8.00pm, Stade de France, Paris; BBC; Ref - Wayne Barnes (England)

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