Rome will host a compelling Six Nations opener on , as Scotland travels to face Italy at the Stadio Olimpico. Following a historic win in Rome two years prior, Italy will look to replicate that success against a Scottish side eager to start their championship campaign strongly. Kick-off is scheduled for /.
Scotland, under the guidance of Gregor Townsend, arrives with heightened expectations. The team boasts considerable talent, particularly in the form of fly-half Finn Russell, and demonstrated competitiveness in recent Quilter Nations Series matches against New Zealand and Argentina. However, those contests also highlighted a potential struggle to close out games, a facet Townsend will be keen to address as the Six Nations unfolds.
Italy, meanwhile, has shed its long-held reputation as the tournament’s perennial underdog. The Azzurri’s victory over Scotland in 2024 signaled a turning point, and they will be confident of challenging their opponents on home soil. Despite injuries to key players like Ange Capuozzo and Tommaso Allan, the Italian squad features a core of experienced players, with Juan Ignacio Brex, Paolo Garbisi, and captain Michele Lamaro all set to reach their 50th cap milestone in this match.
For fans in the United Kingdom, the match will be broadcast live on BBC One and available for streaming on BBC iPlayer, with coverage beginning at 1:00 PM GMT. A valid TV Licence is required to watch live television in the UK. Irish viewers can tune in for free via Virgin Media Play, while French audiences can access the game on France 2 and FranceTV, with coverage starting at 3:00 PM CET.
For those outside of the UK, Ireland, and France, a VPN (Virtual Private Network) offers a solution to bypass geo-blocking restrictions and access their preferred streaming services as if they were located back home. TechRadar and Tom’s Guide both recommend Surfshark as a reliable and affordable VPN option.
International viewers have several options. In the United States, a subscription to Peacock Premium ($10.99 per month) will provide access to all Men’s Six Nations matches, with the Italy vs. Scotland game kicking off at . Australian fans can stream the match on Stan Sport, requiring a $20 per month plan in addition to a base Stan subscription, with kick-off at on Sunday. New Zealand viewers can watch on Sky Sport, costing $54.99 per month, with a start time of on Sunday. Finally, South African viewers can tune into SuperSport via DStv or streaming, with the game beginning at .
Saturday’s second Six Nations match, England versus Wales, will be shown on ITVX (UK), RTÉ Player (Ireland), and TF1+ (France).
The officiating team for the Italy vs. Scotland match will be led by referee Ben O’Keeffe (NZ), assisted by James Doleman (NZ) and Katsuki Furuse (Jap). Richard Kelly (Wal) will serve as the Television Match Official.
Italy’s Starting XV: L Marin, L Lynagh, J I Brex, T Menoncello, M Ioane, P Garbisi, A Fusco; D Fischetti, G Nicotera, S Ferrari, N Cannone, A Zambonin, M Lamaro (captain), M Zuliani, L Cannone. Replacements: T Di Bartolomeo, M Spagnolo, M Hasa, F Ruzza, R Favretto, A Garbisi, G Da Re, L Pani.
Scotland’s Starting XV: T Jordan, K Steyn, H Jones, S Tuipulotu (captain), J Dobie, F Russell, B White; P Schoeman, E Ashman, Z Fagerson, S Cummings, G Gilchrist, M Fagerson, R Darge, J Dempsey. Replacements: G Turner, N McBeth, E Millar Mills, M Williamson, G Brown, G Horne, A Hastings, D Graham.
