Six Nations 2020: Italy v Scotland betting preview, free tips & where to watch

Free rugby union tips, best bets and analysis for Italy v Scotland in round three of the 2020 Six Nations championship.

Where to watch

ITV, 2.15pm Saturday

Best bet

Italy +8
2pts Evs Hills, Sky Bet

Italy v Scotland match preview

Italy may not end their 24-game losing run in the Six Nations but they look worth a wager to stay within eight points of Scotland at the Stadio Olimpico.

That streak stretches back to a 22-19 Murrayfield success in 2015, but Scotland have won by nine points or more only once on their last eight tournament visits to Rome.

While Gregor Townsend's troops have pushed Ireland and England hard in the tournament so far, they are yet to score a try and have mustered only 18 points.

Scotland skipper and star full-back Stuart Hogg dropped the ball in Dublin in the act of dotting down and Storm Ciara made enterprising play in Edinburgh impossible a fortnight ago. But the continued estrangement of dazzling fly-half Finn Russell counsels against expecting a sudden shift through the gears in attack.

Scotland's set-piece, particularly the line-out, has creaked and Jonny Gray's injury deprives them of a tackler-in-chief to enable their back row to snaffle at the breakdown.

The Azzurri endured a 42-0 shutout in Cardiff in round one but still enjoyed plenty of possession and territory and while they were never going to win in Paris after France’s fast start, they exploited all the gaps and indiscipline offered to them to claim three tries and 22 points in defeat.

Home scrum-half Callum Braley has made the most passes in the tournament so far, wing Matteo Minozzi has completed the most offloads and run 242 metres with the ball in hand, and back-rowers Jake Polledri and Braam Steyn have been visible presences in the loose. Steyn has also claimed 11 line-out throws.

Italy head coach Franco Smith has resisted the emotional urge to give soon-to-retire talisman Sergio Parisse a run in a winnable game and his side should put in another purposeful performance.

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