Scotland v Italy Six Nations Betting Tips
Scott McGlynn
Scotland head into another Six Nations filled with high expectations. Their campaign kicks off on Saturday against Italy at Murrayfield - a match they are favoured to win but one that could present plenty of challenges.
Check out our Scotland v Italy betting tips, plus the top betting offers from our recommended best betting sites.
Scotland v Italy Six Nations Betting Tips
Scotland v Italy Match Preview
Scotland face Italy at Murrayfield on Saturday in their opening match of the Six Nations, and both sides recent inconsistency makes this a tougher match to predict than usual.
Under Gonzalo Quesada, Italy have made real strides, though their performances have varied, battling well in a 29-11 loss to New Zealand before suffering a heavy 50-18 defeat to Argentina.
The Azzurri boast genuine star quality - Ange Capuozzo's blistering pace could trouble Scotland's defence, Paolo Garbisi will be eager to make amends after last year's crucial missed penalty against France, and Federico Ruzza's relentless work rate adds an extra dimension.
While often underdogs, Italy are more than capable of springing a surprise.
Scotland, meanwhile, have been struck by injuries, with key figures like captain Sione Tuipulotu and Dylan Richardson sidelined.
However, they've received a major boost with record try-scorer Duhan van der Merwe expected to be fit.
With playmaker Finn Russell and the dynamic Blair Kinghorn in their ranks, Gregor Townsend's men still possess the firepower to get the job done.
This is shaping up to be a tightly contested encounter - Italy edged Scotland by two points last year, and while the Scots won the two prior meetings by 12, another close battle looks likely.
Take a victory for Scotland by 8-14 points at 7/2 with Betfair.
Scotland’s Stafford McDowall steps into the starting lineup, filling the void left by first-choice inside centre Sione Tuipulotu.
Like Tuipulotu, McDowall represents Glasgow Warriors at club level, and his partnership with clubmate Huw Jones in midfield should provide some familiarity.
While he brings a less direct style than Tuipulotu, McDowall excels in attack, will be eager to make an impact, and will stake his claim for a regular starting spot.
Take McDowall to grab a try at some stage at 3/1 with Unibet.
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Scotland v Italy Teams
| 15. Blair Kinghorn | 15. Tommaso Allan |
| 14. Darcy Graham | 14. Ange Capuozzo |
| 13. Huw Jones | 13. Juan Ignacio Brex |
| 12. Stafford McDowall | 12. Tommaso Menoncello |
| 11. Duhan van der Merwe | 11. Monty Ioane |
| 10. Finn Russell (cc) | 10. Paolo Garbisi |
| 9. Ben White | 9. Martin Page-Relo |
| 1. Pierre Schoeman | 1. Danilo Fischetti |
| 2. Dave Cherry | 2. Giacomo Nicotera |
| 3. Zander Fagerson | 3. Simone Ferrari |
| 4. Jonny Gray | 4. Dino Lamb |
| 5. Grant Gilchrist | 5. Federico Ruzza |
| 6. Jamie Ritchie | 6. Sebastian Negri |
| 7. Rory Darge (cc) | 7. Michele Lamaro (c) |
| 8. Matt Fagerson | 8. Lorenzo Cannone |
Scotland v Italy Odds Comparison
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