Scotland A Six Nations: Hopefuls must keep focus on Italian job

THERE are many positives about being in Galashiels on a Friday night but 22 players in Scotland colours at Netherdale this evening would undoubtedly rather be somewhere else.

That place would be Paris preparing for tomorrow's opening RBS Six Nations Championship match against France. However, there are also many players who would love a Scotland A cap who will be sitting idle this weekend, and that is the clear focus for captain Greig Laidlaw and a squad boosted by the addition of Simon Danielli, Alex Grove and Scott Lawson.

With the SRU one of several unions not committing to an A championship, largely for financial reasons, the Scots face an Italian team tonight striving to build on their development at home. With four new under-17 academies across the north of the country, a four-year-old under-19 academy which produced six of tonight's Italy team and two teams in the Magners League, there is a growing belief that they are making significant progress and have a nation as small as Scotland in their sights.

Still, their A team suffered a 45-17 loss away to England Saxons last weekend. The Italians have made four changes to that side, losing former Saracens prop Matias Aguero to an elbow injury, replaced by Alberto Di Marchi, and back row Josh Sole and Valerio Bernabo to the senior squad, so skipper Antonio Pavanello moves from lock to No 8, Josh Furno steps in at lock and Luca Petillo at flanker.

That, however, merely strengthens the units in the team with a Treviso front row, Aironi second row and almost whole Treviso back row.

They have a mix of Treviso and Aironi backs and boast nine full caps in the starting line-up, compared to Scotland's seven, including the former Gloucester and Italy captain Marco Bortolami, who has 84 Tests under his belt and will provide a terrific challenge in the lineout for Fraser McKenzie.

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Taking in the wind and rain that descended on Galashiels last night, Gianluca Guidi, the Italy A manager, said: "We are playing a team confident after two victories over the USA and Irish Wolfhounds, at Netherdale which will be full and provide a great atmosphere but it's in this kind of atmosphere that we need to show how good we are."

Entry is free again tonight but there will be a collection for the Bill McLaren Foundation and a minute's silence to mark the passing this week of former SRU secretary Bill Hogg.

Scotland A team

v Italy A at Netherdale,

tonight, kick-off 7.30pm

15 J Cuthbert (Bath)

14 L Jones (Edinburgh)

13 A Grove (Worcester)

12 J Houston (Edinburgh)

11 S Danielli (Ulster)

10 D Blair (Edinburgh)

9 G Laidlaw (Edinburgh, capt)

1 R Grant (Glasgow)

2 S Lawson (Gloucester)

3 G Cross (Edinburgh)

4 T Ryder (Saracens)

5 F McKenzie (Edinburgh)

6 S McInally (Edinburgh)

7 A MacDonald (Edinburgh)

8 J Beattie (Glasgow)

Substitutes: S Lawrie (Doncaster), K Traynor (Edinburgh), A Muldowney (Glasgow), R Grant (Edinburgh), C Gregor (Glasgow), B Cairns (Edinburgh), H O'Hare (Glasgow).

Italy A: P Buso; G Toniolatti (both Aironi), A Pratichetti (Treviso), M Pratichetti (Aironi), M Sepe (Treviso); R Bocchino (Aironi), F Semenzato; M Rizzo, F Sbaraglini, L Cittadini (all Treviso), J Furno, M Bortolami (both Aironi), L Petillo (Estra I Cavalieri Prato), F Minto, A Pavanello capt (both Treviso). Subs: A Manici (HBS GranDucato Parma), A De Marchi (MPS Aironi), G Padro (MPS Aironi), N Belardo (Estra I Cavalieri Prato), T Tebaldi (MPS Aironi), G Pavan (MPS Aironi), A Marcato (Benetton Treviso).

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