Italy vs Scotland Prediction: A close contest expected

The penultimate round of the 2024 Six Nations kicks off on Saturday afternoon, featuring an increasingly competitive Italy facing off against the current top contenders for the title, Scotland, at Stadio Olimpico. Despite significant improvements this year, Italy finds themselves at the bottom of the table with three points as they enter round four of the competition. Meanwhile, the visitors hold second place with nine points after the initial three rounds.

The hosting team currently holds the lowest position in the Championship table, while the visiting team secures the second spot. Despite being considered significant underdogs, Italy achieved an impressive draw against France in Round three, concluding the match with a 13-13 scoreline. They had an opportunity to clinch an uncommon victory, but a penalty attempt in the final moments struck the post. Despite initially conceding the initial 10 points, Italy staged a strong comeback, especially in the second half when France played with only 14 men.

In Round two, Italy suffered a substantial defeat against Ireland in Dublin, experiencing a 36-0 loss. However, in Round one, the Azzuri demonstrated a courageous effort against England in Rome, where they were given a handicap of approximately 14.5 points. Despite holding a 17-14 lead at halftime, England orchestrated a comeback and ultimately secured a 27-24 victory. Italy scored three tries compared to England's two and earned a losing bonus point. While remaining at the bottom of the standings, Italy now possesses 3 log points, the same as Wales, whom they will confront in the final round of matches.

In the last round, Scotland elevated themselves to the second position on the standings with a 30-21 triumph over England at home. Despite initially conceding ten points, they rallied to seize a 17-14 lead. Duhan Van der Merwe played a crucial role, contributing to all three of Scotland's tries in the match. In Round two, the Scots faced a contentious 20-16 loss to France at Murrayfield. Despite leading 13-10 at halftime and dominating much of the first half, France managed to take the lead on the scoreboard with a try in the 70th minute. Although Scotland believed they had scored a winning try at the end, it was disallowed by the TMO, resulting in them settling for a losing bonus point. Scotland commenced their campaign with an exhilarating 27-26 win over Wales in Cardiff. They established a formidable 20-0 lead at halftime, extending it to 27-0 early in the second half. However, Wales orchestrated a remarkable comeback, forcing Scotland to cling desperately to their lead in the closing moments. In the previous year's Six Nations, Scotland overcame Italy with a score of 26-14 at Murrayfield, and in 2022, they secured a 33-22 victory during their visit to Rome.

Italy displayed remarkable resilience in their recent match against France, showcasing considerable fight. However, maintaining such a high level of performance consistently has proven challenging for them. Now, they confront an improving Scotland side that appears to enhance its game with each outing. Scotland is undoubtedly determined to secure victory in this match, setting the stage for an exciting conclusion to the tournament against Ireland next week. Anticipating another closely contested game, the visitors are favored to emerge victorious.