Scotland raring to go in bid for World Cup places, says Greig Laidlaw

Scotland would have wished otherwise but increasingly their seasons tend to be defined by games against Italy, so a second win in a week over the Azzurri on Saturday would not go amiss if Vern Cotter’s side are to leave for the World Cup with anything like a skip in their stride.

Not that it will be easy. For the third warm-up game running the Scotland coach has made wholesale changes. Only Sean Lamont, seeking to prove his 34-year-old legs are up to the task, survives from the side who won in Turin. However, Saturday’s starting XV have more than a hint of the real deal about them.

The Six Nations half-backs Greig Laidlaw and Finn Russell play their first games and, if his luck manages to hold and he does not go down with a dose of something nasty on Saturday morning as he did last weekend, Grant Gilchrist will start in the second row alongside another World Cup shoo-in, Jonny Gray.

Add what is fast looking like Cotter’s first-choice front row, the all-Edinburgh unit of Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford and Willem Nel and there are three of the partnerships that could easily open Scotland’s campaign, against Japan in Gloucester on 23 September.

That fixture will be home from home for Laidlaw, who plays his club rugby at Kingsholm but this week the Scotland captain was still admitting to bad memories of the last time Italy came to Murrayfield. That day the captain was rested with his side 19-15 up and time running out. When they won a penalty to lift something of an Italy siege, television pictures showed Laidlaw punching the air.

It was not to be. Peter Horne, playing centre on Saturday, missed touch and Italy won a penalty try and the match. “We’ll never make up for that, unfortunately,” said Laidlaw before going on to wax lyrical about competition for the 31 World Cup places Cotter will pass to the organisers on Monday, then announce on Tuesday.

Even with Henry Pyrgos and Sam Hidalgo-Clyne snapping at his heels, the 29-year-old said there have been amusing moments. “Vern is quite funny with it as well,”Laidlaw added. “He keeps you on your toes, dropping the odd comment round about the hotel and he keeps you going. But he’s done it well and the boys who haven’t played are all raring to go.” Those include, Stuart Hogg, Tim Visser and Mark Bennett in the backs and the forwards Jonny Gray and Ryan Wilson, whose suspension following a conviction for assault only expired on Sunday.

Italy, who have confirmed their World Cup 31, make eight changes, including a major overhaul of the backline, but there is still no sign of the captain and totem, Sergio Parisse, who continues to be wrapped in cotton wool lest damaged before the big day. There are plenty with experience of victory over Scotland, however.

Either way, the margin is rarely more than one score but Cotter will expect more after a lean lead-up to Turin and the first victory of 2015.

Scotland v Italy, Saturday, kick-off 3.15pm BST

Scotland Hogg; Lamont, Bennett, Horne, Visser; Russell, Laidlaw (capt); Denton, Barclay, Wilson, Gray, Gilchrist, Nel, Ford, Dickinson.

Replacements McInally, Reid, Welsh, Harley, Cowan, Pyrgos, Jackson, Scott.

Italy McLean; Esposito, Campagnaro, Morisi, Sarto; Allan, Palazzani; Vunisa, Minto, Zanni, Furno, Fuser, Castrogiovanni, Ghiraldini (capt), Agüero.

Replacements Manici, Rizzo, Chistolini, Geldenhuys, Bergamasco, Violi, Canna, Masi.