Rugby World Cup warm-up: Scots bring big guns back for Italy again

Scotland have won twice as many head-to-heads as Italy (16-8) from 24 meetings, so Coral make Vern Cotter’s crew strong odds-on 1/6 favourites to repeat their win away to the Azzurri last week now they take them back to Murrayfield.

This price is also influenced by coach Coach choosing a strong side that includes Jonny Gray, Stuart Hogg, Finn Russell and, most importantly of all, skipper Greig Laidlaw, who is 4/1 to cross for a try against Italy anytime.

Giving these key players a run-out prior to the Rugby World Cup suggests Scotland are done experimenting and are now ready to gather momentum ahead of competing in Pool B at the tournament finals, which also contains South Africa and Samoa.

Centre Mark Bennett, 5/2 to reach the try line anytime, makes his comeback after shoulder surgery and starts alongside Peter Horne, who was vital in last week’s victory in Turin.

South African-born WP Nel, whose selection by Cotter has courted some controversy, will make his international bow here, and holds odds of 7/1 to cap his bow by crossing.

The prop will be joined in the front row by Edinburgh’s Alasdair Dickinson and hooker Ross Ford, with the latter shorter at 5/1 for a try on the occasion he becomes Scotland’s most-capped forward.