Talking points as Scotland begin their Six Nations challenge against Italy

Independent

31-01-2025

Scotland kick off their Guinness Six Nations campaign at home to Italy on Saturday.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at five talking points ahead of the Murrayfield showdown.
Scotland aim to remain fast starters
In the first two decades of the 21st century, Scotland were notoriously slow starters in the Six Nations, winning just three of their opening-day fixtures in the first 21 stagings of the championship between 2000 and 2020. Since then, however, they have won each of their last four campaign openers: away to England in 2021, at home to England in 2022, away to England in 2023, and away to Wales in 2024. Italy at home affords the Scots a clear opportunity to extend this run to a fifth year in succession.
Scots know Italy are no whipping boys
With the likes of Michele Lamaro, Paolo Garbisi, Ange Capuozzo, Juan Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello to the fore, Italy arrive at Murrayfield with arguably the strongest squad they have ever had. No longer seen as championship cannon fodder, Gonzalo Quesada's side will be buoyed by memories of their stirring 31-29 win over Gregor Townsend's men last March, while they were desperately close to an upset on their last Six Nations visit to Murrayfield two years ago before the Scots broke away to seal victory at the death.
Unlikely return for experienced forwards
For much of last year, it would have been hard to imagine either Jonny Gray or Dave Cherry starting this Six Nations opener. Lock Gray, 30, was battling to get his career back on track after a year out with a serious knee injury, while his older brother Richie plus Scott Cummings and Grant Gilchrist seemed in command of the second-row berths. Cherry, 34, appeared to be persona non grata as he failed to make a single squad in 2024 following his exit from the 2023 World Cup camp in France with a concussion, which Scottish Rugby revealed was sustained 'slipping on hotel stairs, on a team day off'. The stars have aligned for both to return to the pack on Saturday after well over a year out of the Test arena.
Graham set for first Six Nations outing since 2022
In a curious quirk, Darcy Graham – Scotland's second-highest try-scorer of all time – will play his first Six Nations match in almost three years this weekend. The Edinburgh wing was ruled out of both the 2023 and 2024 championships due to different injury issues. Remarkably, Graham has managed to accumulate 16 tries in the 15 international appearances he has made since his last Six Nations outing away to Ireland in March 2022.
McDowall has big boots to fill
Scotland's pre-championship optimism has been clouded somewhat by the loss of captain Sione Tuipulotu to long-term injury. An influential leader and regarded as one of the best centres in the world, his absence is a clear blow to the Scots. Glasgow colleague Stafford McDowall will start in the number 12 jersey instead and although he is not held in the same regard as Tuipulotu on the global stage, Townsend was keen to point out on Thursday that McDowall – who has won eight caps since his debut in 2023 – 'played very well' when Tuipulotu was absent for the narrow Scottish defeat away to Ireland last March.