Full-time: Italy U20 10-36 Scotland U20

It’s over in Treviso, and what an evening for this young Scotland team.

Scores from Nairn Moncrieff, Joe Roberts, Henry Kesterton and Jake Dalziel, who was a standout even in a stellar team showing, plus late Rory McHaffie and Harvey Preston tries, sealed a bonus point victory to put the young Scots on the best possible footing for the championship ahead.

Join us next week on Friday 13 February when we host England in the U20 Six Nations, with kick-off at Hive Stadium coming at 7:15pm.

Good night!

Two changes

Joe Roberts and Hamish MacArthur off; Jamie McAughtrie and Adam McKenzie debut.

McHaffieeeeeeeee!!

Dalziel’s spiral bomb is spilled forward, and the ever-rapid Rory McHaffie is onto it and under the posts before anyone can blink! MacArthur converts.

Italy 10-31 Scotland

Substitution

Rory Purvis’ debut comes to an end. Oliver Finlayson-Russell is on.

Solid defence

Scotland’s defensive aggression was excellent there in a long phase of Italian possession. A monstrous hit from Moncrieff in particular.

It ends with a Scotland lineout on Italy’s 10, but the throw is squint. Italian scrum.

Change in the back row

Excellent shift from Jack Utterson on debut. He’s replaced by another debutant, Harvey Preston.

Prop swap

Will Pearce has replaced Oliver McKenna at loosehead.

First Italy try

We exit from the scrum but Italy come straight back, and Colluzi goes over on the right. Fasti converts.

Italy 10-24 Scotland

Great defence

Italy break through into our 22 and win the penalty, but the forwards pressure the resulting lineout and cause a knock on!

Changes

Ollie Blyth-Lafferty is replaced by Jamie Stewart, and Alfie Blackett is replacing by the debuting Fin Ronnie.

Injury delay

Long injury break here after an Italian player goes down.

THE BONUS POINT SCORE!

JAKE DALZIEL THAT IS SENSATIONAL!

The fly-half gathers Purvis’ pass into the pocket and grubbers through, diving on it under the posts. That is a 17 year old on his U20 debut. Wow.

MacArthur converts.

Italy 3-24 Scotland

Nearly the BP

Dalziel grubbers through and Moncrieff grabs it over the line and dives down, but loses it forward as he does so.

Italy goal line dropout instead of five more points and a crucial try bonus point.

Back underway

COME ON SCOTLAND!!

What a half!

Dalziel kicks dead as he goes for the corner from a penalty.

Scotland fourteen points to the good at the break after three excellent tries!

Italy 3-17 Scotland

IN FOR A THIRD!

Moments after being denied by the TMO, we’re in for a third.

A trick play from the maul on the left, as MacArthur breaks out and finds Kesterton on his inside, who batters over. Conversion is no good.

Italy 3-17 Scotland

Sub

Kesterton forced off after scoring; Calum Jessop is on to debut.

THIS TIME IT WORKS!!

Another penalty to the corner, and this time a maul try!

Dalziel’s touch-finder is pinpoint, the forwards are patient and captain Joe Roberts is over on the left.

MacArthur converts.

Italy 3-12 Scotland

More lineout issues

Another penalty kicked to the corner by Dalziel, and this time Scotland make the catch, but there’s accidental crossing as the maul is set up and Italy clear via a free kick.

Italy XV v Scotland A finishes with a draw

It’s all even here in Rieti as the full-time score is 24-24.

Attention now turns to Scotland U20.

Lineout goes wrong

Italy offside from the restart and Scotland kick to the corner, but it’s too high for Purvis to take and Italy clear.

Italy going for goal

A block from Scotland as Italy kick over the top. Fasti going for the points, and he’s got it from right of the posts.

Italy 3-5 Scotland

Italy chance goes begging

Huge chance for Faissal in the right corner, but he loses the final pass and it goes out for a Scotland lineout on our own 5.

Midfield battle ensues

Scrums and kicks at the moment. The latest put-in goes Italy’s way as Scotland looks for the ruck steal but knock it forward on Italy’s 10m line.

NAIRN SCORES FIRST!

We chip over the top and tackle the retreating Italian over his own line.

Rory Purvis picks from the scrum before Jake Dalziel’s cross-field kick finds Nairn Moncrieff all alone on the right wing!

Hamish MacArthur’s conversion is wide.

Italy 0-5 Scotland

Early yellow

Italy lose their left winger after less than 2 minutes for a tip tackle.

Kick off!

COME ON SCOTLAND!!!

Anthems

The teams are out. Let’s have some singing!

Kick off approaching in Treviso

Less than 15 minutes to go until Scotland U20’s Six Nations journey begins for 2026.

Half-time in Rieti

Half-time in Rieti and Scotland A trail Italy XV 14-12.

Watch live here for the action in the second half.

Italy XV kick off

Italy XV v Scotland A is underway at the Stadio Centro d’Italia, Rieti.

Warm up in Rieti

Scotland A are completing their warm up at the Stadio Centro d’Italia, Rieti (kick off 5:30pm GMT/6:30pm local).

Buonasera from Italy!

We are starting our evening in Rieti for the Italy XV v Scotland A match. Watch live via: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=q6-mn96X3EI