Sport

Italy fear vengeful Scottish

Massimo Giovanelli, Italy's former warrior of the back row, gave a rallying call to his embattled team this week

By IAN MALIN
Mon Mar 19 2001 - 00:00

Massimo Giovanelli, Italy's former warrior of the back row, gave a rallying call to his embattled team this week. "We are ready to build our own Hadrian's Wall," he said.

But in the Edinburgh gloaming last night the Azzurri must have felt like shivering sentries confronted by a group of ferocious ancient Britons. Snow has been forecast for the weekend in Scotland and Italy are feeling the chill.

Since their rousing Six Nations debut in Rome last year, when the Scots were beaten 34-20, the championship's new boys have lost seven games in a row. And Brad Johnstone, their New Zealand coach admitted last night that his team faces a backlash at Murrayfield today.

"There is plenty of motivation with Scotland. We embarrassed them in Rome last year and they will be keen to make amends."

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Both teams badly need to record their first win in this season's tournament, but Italy need it more desperately.

In Johnstone's adopted home, sporting failure is not taken lightly and conceding 80 points at Twickenham a month ago is a trauma from which Italy will take a long time to recover.

The home side come into this match on the back of a record 433 defeat by arch-enemy England at Twickenham and only a fortunate draw against Wales leaves them ahead of basement team Italy.

Scotland have dropped their captain Andy Nicol and replaced him with Sale scrumhalf Bryan Redpath - an admission of error perhaps from usually astute coach Ian McGeechan as Redpath was in superb form when Nicol was named captain at the start of the campaign.

Northampton flanker Budge Pountney regains the captaincy, but he could still miss this match because of "wear and tear" according to McGeechan.

McGeechan promised yesterday that his side would play a fast, open game. The return of Gregor Townsend and the appearance of the speedy James Craig on the wing should help warm their supporters.

However, McGeechan will play Townsend at outside centre rather than his favoured position of outhalf, leaving Duncan Hodge in the number 10 shirt.

"It took a little bit of discussion, but I think we need Hodgey as a goal-kicker because getting points on the board is very important no matter how you get them," said McGeechan.

SCOTLAND: Paterson (Edinburgh Reivers); Craig (Glasgow Caledonians), Townsend (Castres), J Leslie (Northampton), Logan (Wasps); Hodge (Edinburgh Reivers), Redpath (Sale); Smith (Brive), G Bulloch (Glasgow Caledonians), Stewart (Northampton), S Murray (Saracens), Grimes (Newcastle), M Leslie (Edinburgh Reivers), Pountney (Northampton, capt), Taylor (Edinburgh Reivers). Replacements: Scott (Edinburgh Reivers), McIlwham (Glasgow Caledonians), R Metcalfe (Edinburgh Reivers), Petrie (Glasgow Caledonians), Nicol (Glasgow Caledonians), G Metcalfe (Glasgow Caledonians), C Murray (Edinburgh Reivers).

ITALY: Stoica (Narbonne); Perziano, Pozzebon, Dallan (all Treviso), Martin (Northampton); Dominguez (Stade Francais), Frati (Parma); Lo Cicero (Rome), Moscardi (capt), Properzi, Gritti, Visser (all Treviso), Persico (Viadana), Bergamasco, Checchinato (both Treviso).

Referee: J Dume (France).