In the past, meetings between Italy national rugby union team and Scotland national rugby union team usually decided who would take the symbolic “wooden spoon”, the notional prize for last place in the standings, but last season Wales national rugby union team emerged as the main candidate for that role.
Italy
Whether it will be the same this time remains to be seen, but for Italy national rugby union team not to finish last, the hosts need to beat Scotland national rugby union team at home. That would almost guarantee that they do not end up in sixth place; from 2016 to 2023 the side invariably took this “prize”. Gonzalo Quesada intends to test a number of recent graduates from the junior ranks, but during the preparation camp bad news arrived: one of the most talented among them, 19-year-old back Edoardo Todaro, suffered a cruciate ligament and meniscus injury. He will definitely miss this tournament.
Scotland
By contrast, Scotland national rugby union team appear to be in good shape. Even compared with a year ago, at the start of the tournament Gregor Townsend’s side were without Sione Tuipulotu, Scott Cummings and others. On that occasion they also opened against Italy national rugby union team, and even with those absences they still recorded a fairly comfortable win at Murrayfield Stadium (31:19). In the end the squad finished fourth with two victories.
Italy vs Scotland Prediction
Despite playing away, Scotland national rugby union team have not lost their status as favourites in this match-up. Their squad now looks stronger than it did a year ago, and the autumn test matches against the All Blacks and Argentina national rugby union team showed that they can aim high. We think the visitors will win, even if only by a narrow margin.
