ITALY
No.Name
15Matteo Minozzi, FB
T
14Tommaso Benvenuti, W
13Giulio Bisegni, C
12Tommaso Castello, C
11Mattia Bellini, W
10Tommaso Allan, FH
T
2
3
2
9Marcello Violi, SH
1Andrea Lovotti, P
2Leonardo Ghiraldini, H
3Simone Ferrari, P
4Alessandro Zanni, L
5Dean Budd, L
6Sebastian Negri, FL
7Jake Polledri, FL
8Sergio Parisse, N8
Replacements
16Oliviero Fabiani, R
17Nicola Quaglio, R
18Tiziano Pasquali, R
19Braam Steyn, R
20Giovanni Licata, R
21Guglielmo Palazzani, R
22Carlo Canna, R
23Jayden Hayward, R

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: Stadio Olimpico
12:30 PM, March 17, 2018
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

81'27-29 End of second half
80'That's all from Rome - Italy finish bottom of the Six Nations with just one losing bonus point (this one) to show for their efforts. As things stand, Scotland are second, but a win for either France or Wales (who play each other) will bump them to third. And a win for England would leave them fourth. That's where we are headed next -- Twickenham, for England vs. Ireland. Join us here for full coverage of Ireland's attempt to win the Grand Slam.
80'Sergio Parisse suffers his 100th Test defeat. He looks utterly spent. Italy can't quite believe they've lost this. And Scotland aren't doing very much celebrating either -- they realise how close they came to letting a positive Six Nations campaign end on a massive negative.
80'Price kicks it into touch, just, and that is the match. SCOTLAND WIN! But goodness me, that was a nail-biter.
80'Italy win the ball right back, from the kick-off. Big knock-on though! Huge knock-on, Braam Steyn dropping the last chance of the match. Scotland will look to bleed the clock from here. Tommy Allan is named man of the match (deservedly so) but he is going to be on the losing side in all probability. Conor O'Shea looks devastated on the sidelines, Gregor Townsend looks mightily relieved in the stands.
79'This kick is from slightly further right than Laidlaw's most recent conversion. Everyone on the benches looking nervous. Laidlaw going through his usual routine. Deep breath. Swing, kick, just inside the left upright! It's good, Scotland lead by two points!
79'27-29 Penalty goal - Greig Laidlaw , Scotland
77'Scotland looking to repeat the trick of five minutes ago, pushing forward from deep from a lineout. Penalty advantage! Huge moment, and Italy have been penalised for collapsing the maul. Laidlaw will kick for goal. This is the match, right here.
77'Player substituted - Leonardo Ghiraldini , Italy
77'Substitute on - Oliviero Fabiani , Italy
76'Tommy Allan to kick. Up he comes, he's got it! Great, nerveless kick. Italy lead by one with four and a half minutes to go. Thumbs up from Conor O'Shea, who is just moments away from his first Six Nations win as Italy coach.
76'27-26 Penalty goal - Tommaso Allan , Italy
75'Scotland manage to slow things down at the lineout, some good defensive work on the whole from the Scots. Penalty though! Italy have a penalty from a kickable distance, about 40 metres and just to the right of the posts. No doubt about it, they will have a go for the three points.
74'Hogg shanks a kick out into touch. That's an awful kick, and Italy will have a lineout 10 metres inside the Scotland half.
74'Substitute on - Carlo Canna , Italy
74'Player substituted - Tommaso Castello , Italy
73'Seven minutes for Italy to try and get this back. They have the time - do they have the nous?
72'Laidlaw lines up the kick. This is big. It's 34 metres out, right of the posts. He missed a similar one earlier. No doubt this time though. Straight through the middle, and a Scottish-accented roar rings round Rome.
72'24-26 Conversion - Greig Laidlaw , Scotland
71'Italy try to regain their shape as Laidlaw starts a move from left to right. Price now to Denton, Price again to Fagerson, and again this time left towards Barclay. The Scots are going nowhere until it gets to Stuart Hogg! TRY SCOTLAND! Great burst from the fullback and that is the key moment. Scotland are a conversion away from holding the lead for the first time since early in the first half.
71'24-24 Try - Stuart Hogg , Scotland
70'Lineout for Scotland around 35 metres from the Italy line. They aren't going to pushover from that far out, but they can at least wear down this Italy defence with a rolling maul that is causing all kinds of consternation. They're only 20 metres out. Now only five metres. How on earth have they managed that?!
68'Tommy Seymour tries to get something going with a run from deep in his own half. Nothing doing, and Scotland kick it away. They do earn a penalty though as Parisse is penalised for not releasing.
67'Substitute on - David Denton , Scotland
67'Player substituted - Ryan Wilson , Scotland
67'Substitute on - Guglielmo Palazzani , Italy
67'Player substituted - Marcello Violi , Italy
67'Player substituted - Jake Polledri , Italy
67'Substitute on - Giovanni Licata , Italy
66'Just as Scotland are getting into a decent position, John Barclay knocks on at the base of the ruck. He's not happy about it, but that was the correct decision. The skipper's frustration probably lies mainly in his team's performance, and the prospect of another defeat in Rome.
64'Scotland have the ball deep in their own half, a big boot upfield by Horne bounces very kindly for the Scots, and Hayward misses touch with the return kick. Scotland now into the Italy half after that exchange of punts.
62'Laidlaw with the conversion - this is pretty crucial at this stage. Up and over it goes - there is only five points in it again. Scotland put the pressure back on Italy.
62'24-19 Conversion - Greig Laidlaw , Scotland
61'Gray claims the lineout, the push towards the line is on, McInally was over the line then pushed back, penalty advantage, long pass from Laidlaw right over the defence and Sean Maitland skips through for his ninth try in Scotland colours. TRY SCOTLAND! Game on?
61'24-17 Try - Sean Maitland , Scotland
60'Penalty against Italy for not rolling away. It will be another kick into touch for the Scots. They are getting a series of penalties but very little else from this.
60'Substitute on - Tiziano Pasquali , Italy
60'Player substituted - Simone Ferrari , Italy
59'Scotland into the 10th phase of this attack. The Italian defence resolute as it was in the first half. A hand breaks up the attack but it's offside against the Italians. Hogg puts it into touch, lineout Scotland at the five-metre line.
59'Substitute on - Nicola Quaglio , Italy
59'Player substituted - Andrea Lovotti , Italy
59'Player substituted - Tommaso Benvenuti , Italy
59'Substitute on - Jayden Hayward , Italy
57'Scotland win a penalty at halfway and Hogg boots it deep into touch in the Italian half. Here comes the attack, the first time Scotland have been anywhere near the Italian try line in this half.
55'Scotland fly-half Finn Russell is off for an HIA. He was trapped at the bottom of a host of Italian tacklers and was pretty groggy as he wandered off being helped by the medics. It would be a surprise if he comes back on the field in this match.
54'Substitute on - Ali Price , Scotland
54'Player substituted - Finn Russell , Scotland
53'It's all got a bit scrappy. Substitutions are being made and that has stunted the flow of things as well. That's no bad thing for the home side, but Scotland have to start injecting something into this match if they're to turn the tide.
53'Player substituted - Tim Swinson , Scotland
53'Substitute on - Richie Gray , Scotland
53'Player substituted - Huw Jones , Scotland
53'Substitute on - Pete Horne , Scotland
53'Player substituted - Alessandro Zanni , Italy
53'Substitute on - Braam Steyn , Italy
50'A TMO review could have had Scotland in deep trouble as the knock-on looked like it might have been caused by a deliberate knock-on by the Scots. There isn't a clear angle of it though, and Sergio Parisse is far from impressed.
48'Italy coming forward again, they keep hitting the gainline much, much harder than Scotland have when they have had the ball. They are at the Scottish 22. They're through again but the final pass goes to ground! That was begging to be a try. A huge let-off for the Scots.
46'24-12 Conversion - Tommaso Allan , Italy
45'Amazing burst through the Scottish defence from halfway by Allan. Scotland sloppily lost the ball just inside the Italy half, and then one break and a pass later by Jake Polledri and Allan is off and running unopposed for the score. Allan's conversion makes it a 12 point lead. What a start to the second half for the Italians.
45'Tommy Allan!! TRY ITALY!! Where did that come from?!
45'22-12 Try - Tommaso Allan , Italy
44'Scotland now rowing with the Italy front-row as the scrum tries to set. There is no question who is the team under pressure here, and it's not the one with a 16-game losing streak.
43'Except... scratch all of that. NO TRY! A knock-on in the build-up to that try.
43'It's Sebastian Negri who is in for the try. A turnover for Italy in the Scotland 22, and after a possible knock-on (which the TMO is now reviewing) Negri splits the defensive line and sprints in from the 22.
42'Italy on the attack - and they're through!TRY ITALY!
41'Jamie Bhatti comes on for Scotland with WP Nel making way in the front row.
41'The teams are back out on the field. Scotland to kick off. They need to turn this around or else Italy will end a 16-game losing streak in the Six Nations which stretches back to 2015 against... Scotland.
41'Substitute on - Zander Fagerson , Scotland
41'Player substituted - WP Nel , Scotland
41'Substitute on - Stuart McInally , Scotland
41'Player substituted - Fraser Brown , Scotland
41'Substitute on - Jamie Bhatti , Scotland
41'Player substituted - Gordon Reid , Scotland
41'+317-12 End of first half
40'Into the fourth minute of this attack. The 15th phase. Penalty Scotland! They killed it well, and that is a huge moment in this game. Italy coach Conor O'Shea looks slightly dismayed, slightly furious that the lead is "only" five at the break. Italy have been superb and Scotland have their work cut out. Big half-time for Gregor Townsend and his troops.
40'Italy up to the five-metre line and Sctoalnd are having to cling on here. Budd tries to make progress. Violi right to Ghiraldini, now Allan. Great tackle stops Castello from scoring. Scotland doing all they can to keep the Italians out.
40'Scotland trying to build as the clock ticks over the 40-minute mark. Next time it goes dead, it's half-time. Barclay barges low. There is absolutely nothing to be had here, and Italy get the penalty for Scotland not releasing. Italy's defence has been superb at the breakdown. They will have the opportunity to go for the lineout deep in Scotland's half now, and they fully deserve that chance on the evidence of this first half.
40'17-12 Start of second half
39'Scotland in shambles at the back, Maitland with a kick in his own 22 charged down when the option was never there. Parisse now barging through towards the posts. Scotland scrambling to defend, and they've done enough -- Italy are penalised for an illegal clearing out. Scotland get off the hook, that was a mess.
37'Scotland trying to build from their own half. Italy have done a tremendous job where England -- most notably -- failed in stopping the likes of Jones from breaking from deep. That swung the Calcutta Cup match at Murrayfield in Week 3, but it's not giving the Scots anything in Rome today.
35'Scotland laying siege to the Italy line. Russell goes close after Gray makes progress. Laidlaw left to Wilson, he's stopped short. Now Gray. Stopped again. And now it's an Italy penalty! Brilliant defence from the Italians, and Scotland are penalised for not releasing. Great determination on show in the Italy ranks.
34'Offside against Italy, penalty to Scotland, and just as well as there is a careless knock on. Scotland shun the points and go to touch. Lineout five metres from the Italy line.
32'Now it's Huw Jones taking it forward, is this the chance? No, knock on by Maitland and Italy -- through Allan -- find touch. Pressure alleviated, for a while at least.
31'Scotland still on the attack deep in Italy territory. The Italian defence is proving pretty resilient though. Gray tries to take it forward, but they're steadily losing ground on this attack. Laidlaw probing from every ruck. There is nothing doing.
29'Ferrari makes a superb tackle to stop Nick Grigg from breaking through. Scotland ship it left and Allan is dragged into touch as he attempts to gather the kick through.
28'Short lineout from Italy and they punt it forward. Hogg tries to make some ground in return, and Scotland start to build an attack around the halfway line.
27'Good kick forward from Hogg which bounces into touch deep in the Italy half.
26'Laidlaw with the conversion -- it's not the sweetest of strikes but it's through the uprights. There is only five points in it now, and that's more than Scotland deserve in truth.
26'17-12 Conversion - Greig Laidlaw , Scotland
25'17-10 Try - John Barclay , Scotland
24'Better from Scotland as they finally execute a lineout, this time in the Italy 22. The maul tries to roll forward but it only slides sideways. Now there is some momentum -- pushover try! Captain John Barclay to the rescue! TRY SCOTLAND, and boy did they need that.
23'Brown is limping onwards with some extra tape around his right ankle. From the lineout he takes to get play restarted, Scotland lose the ball. This opening quarter has been the worst Scotland have played all tournament -- even worse than in Cardiff on the opening weekend.
23'Fraser Brown is down and receiving medical attention for what looks like an ankle injury.
22'Italy are flying, Scotland are in trouble. Allan knocks over a superb conversion. The Azzurri mean business.
22'17-5 Conversion - Tommaso Allan , Italy
21'Italy working the phases, they are into the teens, and a grubber through from Allan gives Matteo Minozzi a chance for the try! He's there!! TRY ITALY!!
21'15-5 Try - Matteo Minozzi , Italy
19'One step forward, two steps back. As Scotland break from a tap penalty at the scrum, Russell chips it over to the flank -- and straight into touch over Sean Maitland's head. Poor stuff from the mercurial fly-half.
18'Italy penalised for collapsing the scrum. Scotland won that against the head and there is a roar of approval from Greig Laidlaw. They need something to light the fire.
16'Italy bumble the ball just outside their own 22 from the restart, but they jump on it quickly. It's still early, but Italy clearly sense this is their chance. That might be reinforced as Hogg drops a high ball into touch under pressure from... Tommy Seymour, his teammate! Wakey, wakey Scotland.
15'Conversion right next to the posts, this will be more points for Allan - hands up if you put him in your fantasy team?
15'10-5 Conversion - Tommaso Allan , Italy
14'Italy kick to touch and have a lineout 10 metres out from the Scotland line. They work it right and Tommy Allan with a brilliant dummy and shimmy and he is in! TRY ITALY! Great work from Allan, that was superb.
14'8-5 Try - Tommaso Allan , Italy
12'Scotland penalised for a high tackle on Parisse as he tries to barge forward from halfway. Parisse is a little shaken up by that and is receiving treatment. He'll be fine to carry on, though.
11'Laidlaw with the conversion -- he's stumped that one out to the right of the right post, and it's wide.
10'3-5 Try - Fraser Brown , Scotland
9'Scotland making good progress on the left flank, Maitland the man leading the charge. They have a penalty advantage now as well. Finn Russell towards the line -- he's stopped a yard short. It's hurled right from the base of the ruck, and Fraser Brown lets it bounce, bobble, roll and tumble before picking it up and diving over the line. TRY SCOTLAND!
8'Scotland try to take a quick lineout after the restart, but the referee's whistle pulls them back. It's probably just as well, too, as the attempted move had backfired specatacularly and Italy were off and running.
7'Tommy Allan slots it straight down the middle. The former Scotland age-grade international puts Italy in front.
7'3-0 Penalty goal - Tommaso Allan , Italy
6'Penalty advantage for Italy as Scotland are caught offside. Still they try to burrow forward and eventually the whistle is blown and Italy will have a pop at goal for the lead.
5'A developing chance for Italy. They're making inroads in the Scottish 22, on the right flank. It works its way left, Parisse passes it out to his left and it's dropped, which temporarily stalls progress.
3'Italy will have the first put-in at a scrum in this game, 10 metres inside the Scotland half. It's pretty tepid stuff so far.
1'And we are underway! Scotland receive the kick-off, and Stuart Hogg boots it straight back behind his opposing fullback.
1'Vociferous anthems in Rome -- can Scotland claim their third win of the tournament, or can Italy get a "1" in the win column? We're about to find out.
1'Out the two teams come. A large band of fans from Scotland have traveled over by the sounds of things. The anthems about to begin
1'The teams are in the tunnel at the Stadio Olympico as kick-off approaches
1'Huw Jones continues at outside centre for Scotland with the impressive Finn Russell at fly-half once again
1'Sergio Parisse, as usual, starts at the back of the scrum for Italy and will be hoping to avoid the unwanted record of playing in 100 Test defeats
1'Hello and welcome to ESPN's live coverage of Italy vs. Scotland from the final round of this year's Six Nations. Scotland can finish in the top three with a win here and if results go their way. Perhaps more importantly to their fans they can finish above England
1'0-0 Start of first half

Six Nations Championship 2018 News