Italy skipper Sergio Parisse insists he is not arrogant enough to think the Azzurri are better than Scotland but is confident his side can triumph in Rome on Saturday.
Both sides go into the Stadio Olimpico duel looking for their first wins of this year’s Six Nations. The hosts triumphed over Vern Cotter’s side last year in Edinburgh with a last-gasp penalty try as their driven line-out bulldozed through the feeble Scottish defence.
It was sweet revenge for Scotland’s own late, late show in Rome back in 2014, when a 79th-minute drop goal snatched victory from Italy.
Parisse – who will win his 117th cap – knows another tight affair is likely to be played out in Rome but has backed his side to edge it.
He said: “It would be arrogant on my part to say we are better than Scotland in the forwards or in the backs. I think they are a really strong team – but I think we are a really strong team too. I’m confident in our strengths.
“Everyone is talking about this game and how both Scotland and Italy have no victories in their opening two matches, so this weekend is a crucial match. If we play the right game we have the possibility to have a good result at the end.”
Scotland have suffered nine straight Six Nations defeats, a run which stretches back two years, is their worst in the professional era and is only surpassed by the luckless amateurs who went 15 Championship matches without victory between 1951 and 1955.
Full-back Stuart Hogg, however, sees real progress in Vern Cotter’s side, even if the end results have not made for pleasant reading.
Hogg said: “Our performances have been fairly good but it’s a results-based business. We firmly believe Saturday is the start of something special. We are dying to get that win and we have been working incredibly hard for it. Every single game we play for Scotland is a massive game, so for us it’s a chance to get a win and get some momentum going forward.”
