Italy v Scotland - Preview

Scotland have suffered a late blow before Saturday's Six Nations match against Italy with number eight Dave Denton forced out of the starting XV.

The Bath back-rower, 26, sustained a mild groin strain in Friday's captain's run and will be replaced by Glasgow's Ryan Wilson.

Wilson, recalled to the match-day 23 in Rome, is promoted from the bench.

Josh Strauss, who played 75 minutes for Glasgow against Dragons on Thursday, is summoned to join the replacements.

Scotland are aiming to avoid a 10th successive Six Nations defeat in Rome, scene of their last victory two years ago.

Italy have brought in Kelly Haimona to replace the injured Carlo Canna.

Full-back David Odiete returns from an ankle injury to replace Luke McLean, as lock Joshua Furno comes in for George Biagi, who broke a rib against England.

Meanwhile, veteran hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini returns to the front row, for his first international game since suffering a hamstring injury at the World Cup.

Scotland

Stuart Hogg, Tommy Seymour, Mark Bennett, Duncan Taylor, Tim Visser, Finn Russell, Grieg Laidlaw; Alasdair Dickinson, Ross Ford, Willem Nel, Richie Gray, Jonny Gray; John Barclay, John Hardie, Ryan Wilson

Replacements: Stuart McInally, Rory Sutherland, Moray Low, Tim Swinson, Josh Strauss, Sam Hidalgo-Clyne, Peter Horne, Sean Lamont.

Italy

David Odiete, Leonardo Sarto, Michele Campagnaro, Gonzalo Garcia, Mattia Bellini, Kelly Haimona, Edoardo Gori; Andrea Lovotti, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Lorenzo Citttadini, Marco Fuser, Joshua Furno, Francesco Minto, Alessandro Zanni, Sergio Parisse.

Replacements: Davide Giazzon, Matteo Zanusso, Martin Castrogiovanni, Valerio Bernabo, Andries Van Schalkwyk, Guglielmo Palazzani, Edoardo Padovani, Andrea Pratichetti

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England v Italy - Preview

England will be looking to build on their impressive Six Nations start when they host Italy at Twickenham on Saturday.

England silenced Cardiff with an impressive second-half display to beat Wales 21-16 at the Millennium Stadium in their Championship opener last Friday.

Scott Quinnell gives his prediction on the 6 Nations clash between England and Italy

Head coach Stuart Lancaster has kept the faith in the side who beat Wales by naming the same 23 for the visit of the Azzurri.

Jonathan Joseph will make his Twickenham debut as he resumes his promising centre partnership outside Luther Burrell with George Ford once again pulling the strings at fly-half.

Tighthead prop Dan Cole is given another chance to gain match fitness after a year interrupted by neck and foot problems, while on the other side of the scrum Joe Marler continues to be first choice loosehead.

England backs coach Andy Farrell has been impressed with how the young players have adapted to the international game

Italy coach Jacques Brunel has made four changes to his team for Saturday’s clash plus two further positional changes.

Veteran lock Marco Bortolami extends his caps record for Italy to 111, replacing Newcastle's Josh Furno in the second row.

Another Azzurri stalwart, flanker Mauro Bergamasco will pick up his 101st cap in place of Alessandro Zanni, who partially tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in last week’s 26-3 defeat to Ireland in Rome and has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

Sale Sharks prop Alberto De Marchi, who started on the bench last week, swaps places with Matias Aguero at loosehead in the other change in the forwards.

Michele Campagnaro will miss the rest of the Six Nations after injuring his left knee, so Luca Morisi has moved out one spot to fill the vacant outside centre position. Wasps star Andrea Masi will be at inside centre, switching from full-back. Sale's Luke McLean moves to No 15 from the left wing.

Giovambattista Venditti, who started on the bench in Rome, comes on to the left wing.

England: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 1 Joe Marler, 2 Dylan Hartley, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Dave Attwood, 5 George Kruis, 6 James Haskell, 7 Chris Robshaw (c), 8 Billy Vunipola,

Replacements: 16 Tom Youngs, 17 Mako Vunipola, 18 Kieran Brookes, 19 Nick Easter, 20 Tom Croft, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Danny Cipriani, 23 Billy Twelvetrees.

Italy: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Leonardo Sarto, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Andrea Masi, 11 Giovambattista Venditti, 10 Kelly Haimona, 9 Edoardo Gori, 1 Alberto De Marchi, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 4 George Fabio Biagi, 5 Marco Bortolami, 6 Mauro Bergamasco, 7 Francesco Minto, 8 Sergio Parisse (c).

Replacements: 16 Andrea Manici, 17 Matias Aguero, 18 Dario Chistolini, 19 Joshua Furno, 20 Samuela Vunisa, 21 Guglielmo Palazzani, 22 Tommaso Allan, 23 Giulio Bisegni.

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Ireland Win Roman Battle

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Ireland opened the defence of their Six Nations title with a stuttering 26-3 victory over Italy in Rome.

Tries from Conor Murray and Tommy O'Donnell as well as 14 points from the boot of Ian Keatley gave the defending champions the perfect start to this year’s campaign despite a disjointed display.

Ireland suffered an early disruption to the match when they lost Sean O’Brien to an injury during the warm-up. His place in the starting line-up was taking by O'Donnell and Robbie Diack was called onto the bench.

There had been rain leading up to kick-off, making for slippery conditions in the opening exchanges - and the early handling reflected that.

The first half played host to typically bullish Italian defence, but as is often the case with Italy it was not long before the constant tackling took its toll. To the hosts' credit they did not concede a try in the first half, but Keatley kept Ireland ticking over with his boot.

Keatley did not enjoy a good start in the No 10 jersey with ball in hand, but missed no kicks at goal on the day, and he took his team to a 9-0 lead in the 35th minute.

By the time the teams headed into the break Italy had added a penalty of their own, but it was Ireland who started the second half with more purpose.

Italy’s disciplined defence during this period, and uncharacteristically poor execution from Ireland, meant that it took until the close of the third quarter for Ireland to finally add to that scoreline with another kick from Keatley. At that point Leonardo Ghiraldini was shown a yellow card for a professional foul at a maul, and thereafter Ireland began to pile on the pressure as well as points.

Conor Murray was the first to cross over when Ireland had the extra man advantage, darting over from close range at the side of a ruck, and his score was followed two minutes later by a solo break from O'Donnell. Both scores were converted.

Italy appeared to have scored in the dying minutes but Kelly Haimona was denied his first international try when the TMO spotted a knock-on from Sergio Parisse in the build up to it.

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Ireland v Italy - Preview

After last season's fifth-place finish, it is testament to the work of head coach Joe Schmidt that there is an element of disappointment that Ireland are playing merely for the Six Nations title and nothing more in 2014.

England crushed Ireland's Grand Slam and Triple Crown dreams at Twickenham last time out, doing just enough to stop a side whose previous displays against Scotland and Wales suggested they were the juggernaut that would not be stopped.

Of all the teams - Ireland, England, France and Wales - that go into the penultimate weekend with hopes of the championship alive, Schmidt's side have the most appetising tie.

England and Wales will bash each other up at Twickenham for the privilege of retaining interest in the silverware, while France travel to a Scotland side lifted by their first win of 2014 last time out. Italy, on the other hand, are the only nation without a win this series.

Not that Schmidt is taking the challenge lightly. He was not involved in Rome 12 months ago when Ireland lost to the Italians for the first time in 18 games - a defeat that arguably led to Declan Kidney's exit - but Schmidt is all too aware of the threat.

Jacques Brunel's Italy have not picked up a point so far but in Michele Campagnaro they have a pacy centre in form with three tries in five games, while restored fly-half Luciano Orquera was a thorn in Ireland's side with his dangerous kicking game.

With that in mind, Schmidt spoke of respect in his pre-match news conference, and of avoiding over-confidence. The astute former Leinster boss has moulded his players tactically, and the evidence is there from their 2014 revival that they also absorb his mantra mentally. The temptation to look to France as the big decider has been well and truly rubbished by the Kiwi; focus remains on Italy until the 80 minutes are up.

One man whose memories of the 2013 defeat in Rome are particularly sour is Brian O'Driscoll. Yellow-carded for only the second time in his Ireland career, he received a three-week ban for stamping. In what will be a record-breaking 140th Test, he has the chance to create a happier memory on his final home appearance.

Jonny Sexton retains his place at 10 after overcoming a thumb injury picked up in the England game, although in-form flanker Peter O'Mahony is out with a hamstring injury. Iain Henderson steps up from the bench to take the blind-side berth.

For Italy, skipper Sergio Parisse is rested as a result of a calf strain, while Alessandro Zanni's 58-match run in the Italy side has come to an end after he returned to Treviso with a knee sprain.

In their place, Brunel has recalled Marco Bortolami - who captains the side - and Paul Derbyshire comes in. There are changes in the halves with Orquera and Tito Tebaldi preferred to the benched duo of Edoardo Gori and Tommy Allan.

Ireland : 15-Rob Kearney; 14-Andrew Trimble, 13-Brian O'Driscoll, 12-Gordon D'Arcy, 11-Dave Kearney; 10-Jonny Sexton, 9-Conor Murray; 1-Cian Healy, 2-Rory Best, 3-Mike Ross, 4-Devin Toner, 5-Paul O'Connell, 6-Iain Henderson, 7-Chris Henry, 8-Jamie Heaslip

Replacements: 16-Sean Cronin, 17-Jack McGrath, 18-Martin Moore, 19-Rhys Ruddock, 20-Jordi Murphy, 21-Eoin Reddan, 22-Paddy Jackson, 23-Fergus McFadden

Italy : 15-Luke McLean; 14-Angelo Esposito, 13-Michele Campagnaro, 12-Gonzalo Garcia, 11-Leonardo Sarto; 10-Luciano Orquera, 9-Tito Tebaldi; 1-Alberto De Marchi, 2-Leonardo Ghiraldini, 3-Martin Castrogiovanni, 4-Quintin Geldenhuys, 5-Marco Bortolami, 6-Joshua Furno, 7-Paul Derbyshire, 8-Robert Barbieri

Replacements: 16-Davide Giazzon, 17-Michele Rizzo, 18-Lorenzo Cittadini, 19-Antonio Pavanello, 20-Manoa Vosawai, 21-Edoardo Gori, 22-Tommy Allan, 23-Andrea Masi

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee : Nigel Owens (Wales)

Touch judges : Pascal Gauzere (France) & Greg Garner (England)

TV : Geoff Warren (England)

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European Reach Half Solution

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The English, French, Scottish, Welsh, Irish and Italian governing bodies have agreed to change the structure of European club rugby.

After meetings in Dublin, they agreed on the formation of two tweaked competitions of 20 teams each as well as a change in revenue distribution.

But top English and French clubs, who have proposed a breakaway competition from next season, were not present.

The Anglo-French plan has been backed by the four Welsh regions.

Premiership Rugby (PRL) in England and Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) in France say they will have no involvement in the Heineken Cup or Amlin Challenge Cup from next season.

Instead of competing in European Rugby Cup (ERC) competitions, the PRL and LNR plan to form an alternative Rugby Champions Cup.

PRL and LNR are unhappy at how teams qualify for the Heineken Cup, especially from the RaboDirect Pro12 league, and how proceeds are shared.

Currently, only the top six clubs in England and France are guaranteed a place in the Heineken Cup, whereas at least 10 Pro12 outfits - including both Scottish teams (Edinburgh and Glasgow), both Italian teams (Treviso and Zebre) and a minimum of three sides each from Wales and Ireland - have automatic entry into the competition.

As part of the new proposals, only seven clubs from the Pro12 would qualify for the primary tournament.

In addition, the revenue would be split evenly between the three leagues - the English Premiership, France's Top 14 and the Pro12 - as proposed by English and French clubs in June of last year.

But PRL told the BBC that Thursday's developments offer "no more than half a solution" to the crisis.

Remaining stumbling blocks are the rival television broadcasting deals between Sky and BT and the insistence of English and French outfits that clubs should run European competitions, not the unions.

Representatives from the Rugby Football Union, French Rugby Federation, Scottish Rugby Union, Welsh Rugby Union, Irish Rugby Union and Italian Rugby Federation were all present in Dublin.

They issued a statement which read: "Progress has been made on a number of issues relating to the future of European club rugby competition.

"The primary competition would be made up of 20 clubs, with six each from PRL and the LNR, and seven from the Pro12 tournament.

"The clubs would come through meritocratic qualification from their respective leagues and, in the case of the Pro12, there will be at least one club guaranteed from each country.

"In year one, the 20th place would be allocated through a play-off match between the seventh-placed PRL and LNR clubs.

"The secondary competition would consist of up to 20 clubs made up of the remaining 18 PRL, LNR and Pro12 clubs. Two places could be allocated to clubs qualifying from a third competition.

"There is also consensus that distributable revenues generated through the competitions would be divided one third, one third, one third per league with the stipulation that monies to be received by the Pro12 countries would not be less than the current levels."

The PRL, the LNR and the four Welsh regions have not yet been consulted on the proposals and it is unclear who will run these proposed European club competitions from next year.

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