England vs Ireland LIVE: Six Nations 2022 result and final score as Ireland win after early England red card

Welcome to international rugby, Giacomo Nicotera. The Benetton hooker developed well last season even without a full-time contract at the Italian club, splitting his time with the Treviso side and Rovigo in Italy’s Pro10, a competitive league that underpins the country’s two URC teams.

He gets the nod ahead of recalled former skipper Luca Bigi, who has dropped down the pecking order under Kieran Crowley after an injury. Scotland, at first glance, look short of a third line out jumper to put pressure on Italy, but we’ll see how the untested Nicotera goes.

Duhan van der Merwe’s sending off for Worcester last week has proved rather divisive - there are some who suggested his fend was legal, while others felt a red was the only just call for what ended up an elbow to the face of Scotland squad-mate Kyle Rowe. A three-week ban was upheld on appeal on Friday, ending van der Merwe’s tournament.

It’s another South African born wing who steps in to his stead: Kyle Steyn has come through the Scottish sevens set-up with a rounded skill set, and while he may not possess quite the forceful carrying of the man he is replacing, he’s a dynamic, creative runner who should relish a first Six Nations start.

Rory Darge stood out for Scotland two weeks ago against France, taking his try with a canny angle and doing plenty otherwise after Hamish Watson’s late Covid-enforced withdrawal. Today we will see them in tandem from the start for the first time at international level - an exciting prospect.

The two are not dissimilar players, and while that may prevent the pair being used together all the time, the dual open side approach is one that Gregor Townsend had been key to look at with two such fine sevens at his disposal. Italy’s back row is arguably their strength, and they will also try to attack the breakdown - I think this could be quite an open, turnover-filled game, which may suit Scotland’s creative backline.

Italy persist with a midfield containing two distributors, with Leonardo Marin alongside Paolo Garbisi. Going down to 13 so early meant that we didn’t see the Italians attack quite as planned against Ireland, but there were some really clever touches. Scotland’s defence showed some chinks against France, and while Italy can’t quite move the ball in the way the Six Nations leaders can, Garbisi and Marin can present tricky pictures for Chris Harris and co to decipher.

The problem for Italy remains chance conversion and red zone execution. When they make a line-break, there is a tendency to offload ambitiously or force a pass rather than play through the phases with greater composure. Part of that comes with the territory of a young team, but Kieran Crowley will be hoping for better.

The return to fitness of Hamish Watson and Matt Fagerson is a boon for Scotland, with Gregor Townsend retaining Rory Darge alongside his first-choice 7-8 pairing. Darge and Watson should dovetail if the Stadio Olimpico track is fast. George Turner and Stuart McInally swap hooker roles.

Duhan van der Merwe has been banned for three weeks after his elbow made contact with the head of fellow Scotland squad member Kyle Rowe during fallow week Premiership action, so Townsend gives Kyle Steyn a first start of the tournament. Sam Johnson replaces Sione Tuipulotu, and it’s fifty up for Ali Price.

Continuing the Gloucester theme, livewire ex-Kingsholmer Ben Vellacott awaits a debut at scrum-half on the Scotland bench, while Adam Hastings is back in favour and provides fly-half cover.

Scotland XV: Schoeman, Turner, Z Fagerson; Skinner, Gilchrist; Darge, Watson, M Fagerson; Price, Russell; Steyn, Johnson, Harris, Graham; Hogg.

Replacements: McInally, Dell, Nel, Hodgson, Bradbury; Vellacott, Hastings, Tuipulotu.

In case you, somehow, missed it, Italy lost two hookers against Ireland, with Gianmarco Lucchesi tournament ended by a dislocated elbow and Hame Faiva’s Six Nations also over after his shoulder made contact with Dan Sheehan’s head. That means two new twos for Kieran Crowley: former skipper Luca Bigi is back on the bench but the starting berth at the centre of the front row is given to debutant Giacomo Nicotera.

There’s a single change in the backs, as Callum Braley steps in for his former Gloucester colleague Stephen Varney. Braley returns to English rugby with Northampton from the summer, and will hope to allow the dual playmaker axis of Leonardo Marin and Paolo Garbisi to play a little more than against Italy

On the bench, France-based Ange Capuozzo has plenty of admirers and is primed for a debut in the back three – he’s seriously quick and has been going well for Grenoble in ProD2.

Italy XV: Fischetti, Nicotera, Ceccarelli; Cannone, Ruzza; Pettinelli, Lamaro, Halafihi; Braley, Garbisi; Ioane, Marin, Brex, Bruno; Padovani

Replacements: Bigi, Nemer, Zilocchi, Sisi, Zuliani; Fusco, Zanon, Capuozzo

It’s the penultimate Six Nations Saturday, and the action begins in Italy as Scotland look to right their slide towards the bottom of the table against Kieran Crowley’s fighting side, who might just have a point to prove after the farcical circumstances in Dublin two weeks ago. It looks a lovely spring day in Rome - let’s take a closer look at the two starting sides...