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Hello and welcome to live coverage of Scotland's Rugby World Cup warm-up match against Italy at Murrayfield. The game represents the home side's last chance to impress coach Vern Cotter before he names his 31-man World Cup squad. Italy, meanwhile, will be out to avenge last week's 16-12 defeat in Turin.
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| 1 |
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Finn Russell boots the kick off out on the full to give Italy an early scrum on halfway. However, the hosts win a penalty and their No.10 kicks them deep into light blue territory.
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| 2 |
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Scotland pass up the chance to build an attack though as captain Greig Laidlaw passes forward. Italy cannot build on possession though, but have the scrum.
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| 4 |
3 - 0 |
Penalty to Scotland at the scrum. Laidlaw makes no mistake from just over 22 yards out.
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| 5 |
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Some defending for Scotland on their own 22' as Laidlaw's box kick spirals high into the air. Peter Horne steps up well though and forces the turnover.
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| 6 |
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Scotland win a penalty from a scrum in their own half. Some impressive work from the home forwards there to steady the ball and force the infringement.
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| 7 |
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The home side definitely have the edge up front so far. Stuart Hogg gets his hands on the ball and makes a burst to force Scotland into the 22'.
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| 8 |
8 - 0 |
Try for Scotland! Some well-worked build-up from the hosts ends with a wonderful chip from Russell into the path of Sean Lamont who scurries over the whitewash.
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| 9 |
10 - 0 |
Laidlaw adds the extras and Scotland have a 10-point lead.
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| 10 |
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Michele Campagnaro threatens the Scotland defence but again the hosts stand firm.
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| 12 |
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Tim Visser kicks behind the Azzurri defence looking for Lamont but Leonardo Sarto is there to mop up.
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| 13 |
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Scotland again attack with pace, Hogg putting in a kick this time that Italy deal with comfortably.
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| 14 |
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Hogg again involved, making a good break but as Italy slow the ball down Martin Castrogiovanni forces a penalty.
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| 15 |
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John Barclay has already got through a lot of work and he is forced to show off his juggling skills to keep a Scotland attack alive on halfway.
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| 16 |
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Italy awarded a penalty on halfway and Tomasso Allan boots it down into Scotland territory.
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| 17 |
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Italy creep into the 22' for the first time but Campagnaro spills Allan's offload and the hosts attempt to counter.
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| 18 |
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Scotland's display so far should encourage their fans - they're looking to put pace on the ball at every opportunity and they have been dominant at the breakdown.
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| 20 |
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Scotland, and debutant Willem Nel, highlight their dominance at the scrum as they win a penalty from an Italy feed. Russell boots it down towards the Azzurri 22'.
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| 21 |
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Scotland get good ball from the lineout and Horne looks to batter his way through. Eventually, Russell almost puts Mark Bennett through a gap but Francesco Minto is pinged for offside.
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| 22 |
13 - 0 |
Laidlaw makes no mistake with the three points.
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| 24 |
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Penalty to Italy, against Alasdair DIckinson for not rolling away. Allan does not go for the posts, instead kicking his side into the opposing 22'. But Italy are penalised at the lineout.
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| 25 |
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Good work from Russell and Barclay to wrap up Allan and force a penalty on Italy's 22'.
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| 26 |
16 - 0 |
Laidlaw again dissects the posts and the hosts have a fully deserved 16-point lead.
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| 27 |
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Knock-on from Ross Ford at the restart gives Italy an attacking scrum. The scrum goes down and Italy have a penalty in a kickable position.
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| 28 |
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Allan, though, again kicks to the corner rather than take on the posts. Italy win the lineout and begin a drive.
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| 29 |
16 - 5 |
Try for Italy! With a penalty coming Allan takes the ball out of the maul and kicks behind the defence where Campagnaro profits from the bounce to score.
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| 30 |
16 - 7 |
Allan adds the conversion and the visitors are back in this.
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| 31 |
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Forward pass from Horne in midfield gives Italy a scrum when it seemed the hosts were in a positive position.
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| 33 |
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Matias Aguero needs treatment following a couple of failed scrums. The prop was forced upright very early there. Indeed Aguero goes off for a head injury assessment with Leicester prop Michele Rizzo coming on.
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| 34 |
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Rizzo immediately penalised for lining up incorrectly for the scrum, and Scotland are on the attack.
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| 35 |
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Penalty for Scotland, Alessandro Zanni not rolling away. Russell - who took a big hit from Vunisa in that play - dusts himself down to kick for the corner.
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| 36 |
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Joshua Furno steals the lineout for Italy on his own five-yard line and the visitors can clear.
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| 37 |
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Penalty to Scotland, and yellow card for Minto as he tried to bring down the hosts' drive from the lineout.
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| 38 |
23 - 7 |
Try for Scotland! The hosts look to use their extra man at the lineout. Ryan Wilson claims the ball cleanly and the hosts start a drive that ends with Barclay crashing over. Referee Romain Poite goes upstairs to check the grounding, and eventually he is satisfied enough to award the five points.
The conversion sails over from the boot of Laidlaw.
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| 39 |
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Confusion at Murrayfield. Scotland gather the restart before Russell chips off the pitch. But there are still 20 seconds of the half to go and Italy now have a lineout in the home half.
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| 40 |
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It seems the stadium clock and the official match clock were not aligned.
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| 40+1 |
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Italy use their possession to make ground but the ball is too slow and Scotland eventually turn it over.
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| 40+2 |
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Angelo Esposito is eventually forced to chase the ball over his try line and touches down to bring the half to an end. Scotland coach Cotter will be very happy with what he has seen. Scotland have been positive from the off and looked to attack Italy with pace. Italy, on the other hand, have been largely dominated in the scrum and at the lineout and have not been able to turn what possession they have managed into quick ball and pressure.
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| 40 |
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Allan restarts the second half and begins a period of kicking that ends with Russell clearing into the Italian half.
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| 42 |
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A nice break from Luke McLean, who finds Luca Morisi but the centre knocks on and Scotland can clear.
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| 43 |
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Scotland launch another pacey attack from their lineout but just as it looks they will score, Hogg passes to Visser who is crowded out. Hogg maybe should have backed himself to score there.
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| 44 |
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Italy win a penalty from the subsequent lineout and Allan is able to clear.
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| 45 |
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Italy lose possession near halfway and hand Scotland a free kick.
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| 46 |
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Scotland win a penalty and kick to the corner...
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| 47 |
28 - 7 |
Try for Scotland! The hosts drive on from the lineout, sucking in the Italy defence before Russell spins a pass wide for Visser to trott over in the corner.
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| 49 |
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Laidlaw lines up a difficult conversion from the sideline, but drags it wide.
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| 53 |
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Scotland feed the scrum after some pretty tough battling in midfield.
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| 54 |
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Luke McLean making a quick break through the Italian defence, Scotland looking the more likely, yet again. Italy stopped defending the decoy runners.
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| 55 |
31 - 7 |
Laidlaw - penalty goal
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| 57 |
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Another Scotland scrum.
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| 59 |
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Another collapsed try...Penalty given to Scotland.
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| 60 |
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Scotland's attack making the Italian defence look weak. They're struggling to hold out some of the Scottish runners here without putting up much of a fight, too.
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| 61 |
36 - 7 |
Lamont - try
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| 62 |
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Big tackle from Lamont on Andrea Masi, which eventually leads to another Scottish try scored by Lamont himself. His second, Scotland's fourth.
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| 63 |
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Laidlaw kicks wide and fails to convert the try.
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| 64 |
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Scotland really looking the dominant side here, looking good ahead of the World Cup. Stuart Hogg getting in the action with another pacing forward burst. Italy struggling to hold these runners out.
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| 66 |
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Italy scrum, results in an Italian kick.
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| 68 |
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Scottish lineout, and once again they push forward with much success. Some solid, precise passing enabling them to progress deeper into the Italian territory.
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| 71 |
41 - 7 |
Italians making such much needed progress themselves through the Scottish defence.
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| 72 |
43 - 7 |
But not for long, as Visser intercepts a pass and then almost runs the entire pitch with no challenge to touch down.
Scotland dominating while Italy looking rusty and not up for this at all.
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| 73 |
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Scotland convert the kick. Running away with it now.
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| 76 |
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Scottish scrum, and the men in white do what they've done all day and drive heroically forward. Men v boys here.
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| 78 |
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Italy's turn to feed the scrum, and they retain possession succesfully but it's not long before they're overawed by the strength of the Scottish forwards before kicking the ball back to Ruaridh Jackson.
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| 79 |
48 - 7 |
Nice bit of footwork from Alessandro Zanni navigating through the Scottish line, but it's not enough to make a real breakthrough.
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| 80 |
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Very almost for the Italians, but Scotland regain the possession. Mark Bennett greets the ball in the air, dodges a couple of last ditch Italian tackles before running to try line to touch down. Great, great play from Bennett.
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| 80+1 |
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And there we have it. A record win for Scotland against Italy, despite Finn Russell just then kicking wide.
They've got one last warm-up against France next week before the World Cup and right now it's looking good for Vern Cotter's side. So far so good.
Italy really disappointing, mind you. They take on Wales in Cardiff next Saturday.
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