Why Scotland Under-20s must 'fire the first shot' in Italy Six Nations showdown

Young Scots still searching for first victory of 2024 – and face a confident Italian outfit

Scotland have to “fire the first shot” and build from there if they are to get their first under-20 Six Nations win of 2024 under their belts on Friday evening versus Italy in Treviso, according to No 8 Tom Currie.

In the matches so far against Wales, France and England, the Scots have been behind at half-time. The Welsh game was different because it was a bit tighter, but the deficits in the two home games versus France and England – 0-26 and 0-18 respectively – gave them far too much to do in the second 40 minutes each time despite improvements coming.

Friday’s opponents in the Stadio Comunale di Monigo are an Italy team that are buzzing after beating France a fortnight ago. As a result, Scotland need a strong start and Currie, the Dumfries Saints and Merchiston Castle product who is now on the books with Edinburgh Rugby, said: “We need to fire the first shot. At the start of the match we need to do whatever we need to do to get into the game; whether it’s tackle, a kick chase, just whatever – something that relaxes us and gets us into the game. We cannot take any steps back in this game against a good opponent.”

Tom Currie and his Scotland Under-20 team-mates have fallen behind in all of their Six Nations matches so far.

And Currie said about the Edinburgh pro environment: “I have learned a lot there straight away, especially set piece-wise. There are a couple of big players in there that are really good to learn off and I have picked their brains in recent months.”

The under-20s match is at 7.15pm UK time and is on the BBC iPlayer.

Scotland under-20: Jack Hocking, Finlay Doyle, Geordie Gwynn (C-C), Findlay Thomson, Fergus Watson; Isaac Coates, Hector Patterson; Robbie Deans, Jerry Blyth-Lafferty, Callum Norrie, Euan McVie, Ryan Burke, Ruaraidh Hart (C-C), Freddy Douglas, Tom Currie. Subs: Gavin Parry, Callum Smyth, Ryan Whitehead, Luke Coulston, Jonny Morris, Murdoch Lock, Matthew Urwin, Johnny Ventisei.