Scotland vs. Italy: 5 Key Battles That Will Shape 2015 Six Nations Clash

Scotland and Italy have accounted for 10 of the last 11 wooden spoons in the Six Nations, and the minnows clash this Saturday once again in their bid to avoid last place.

Vern Cotter's men will be confident heading into the fixture, with home advantage behind them and some encouraging performances against France and Wales to give them motivation.

Neither team has managed to claim a point thus far in the competition, but a win at Murrayfield will give the victor hope of making something out of their 2015 campaign.

Ahead of the Week 3 clash, we profile a host of those key clashes that promise to shape the tie.

1. Mark Bennett vs. Luca Morisi

Michele Campagnaro missing the rest of the Six Nations is a shattering blow for Jacques Brunel's side to suffer, but Italy have perhaps their second-most encouraging starlet in Luca Morisi.

The 23-year-old came into the outside-centre berth against England and was fantastic for patches of the Twickenham defeat, ending with two tries in a display that Mark Bennett will have been wise to examine this week.

The Glasgow Warriors midfielder is only a couple of Test appearances into his international career, but he has formed a highly promising dynamic with Alex Dunbar, making for an alluring battle of prodigal talents on Saturday.

With an aggregate age of just 44, Morisi and Bennett will seek to show their maturity at Murrayfield, each possessing stellar breakthrough ability, but it's who shines most consistently in defence that could decide this struggle.

2. Johnnie Beattie vs. Sergio Parisse

Vern Cotter's decision to put faith in Johnnie Beattie at No. 8 has had mixed results thus far, but the Castres back-rower has a monumental task in quelling Sergio Parisse's threat this weekend.

Handling errors have been one of the deficiencies evidenced in Beattie's play—something Parisse doesn't really struggle with—and if the Italian is allowed to assert his talismanic influence, the Azzurri always stand a chance.

Opta's Russ Petty has pointed out that Parisse likes to carry more than any other No. 8 in the tournament, which isn't a surprise given the burden he bears in guiding Brunel's side to the slightest sniff of success.

It won't just be down to Beattie to ensure Parisse's stampede isn't allowed to gain pace, but the Scottish forward must ensure he gives the hosts a similar spearhead in the loose.

3. Stuart Hogg vs. Luke McLean

It was thanks to an early Stuart Hogg try in Edinburgh that Scotland were able to assume an early lead against Wales in Round 2, showcasing the full-back's tremendous finishing ability when left with yardage ahead.

Luke McLean holds a similar responsibility as one of Italy's more consistent back-line runners, but a lot of the Sale utility's efforts this Saturday will be concentrated on stopping his Scottish counterpart.

Quite simply, Hogg can make Cotter's team tick almost single-handedly at his best, able to pull strings for others as well as creating openings for himself, whether through use of his astute feet or line-breaking.

The Glasgow Warriors maestro is ready for Italy, too, quoted by Ben Coles of Planet Rugby as saying last week: "The Italians are coming and hopefully we will absolutely batter them."

If the Scots are to finally unlock this promising potential that rests in their backs, Hogg will be a large part of it, and McLean has a task on his hands in seeing to it that his positioning at the back can stop the Scottish star in his stride.

4. Jonny Gray vs. Joshua Furno

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Two locks at the start of their international careers will face off in Edinburgh, as Azzurri giant Joshua Furno prepares to take on one of Cotter's most encouraging prospects, Jonny Gray.

Furno comes back into Brunel's XV after being left out against England, hoping to redeem himself after being dropped in favour of George Biagi.

Gray can look to contend evenly at the set piece and use his sizeable frame to make the difference at the breakdown, but it's his stamina that could give Scotland a substantial advantage in this particular duel.

5. Greig Tonks vs. Kelly Haimona

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Scotland await a decision on the appeal of Finn Russell's suspension, but at present it looks as though Greig Tonks could be deemed the replacement to face Kelly Haimona.

Despite Italy's defeats, Haimona has continued to supply his usual contribution in flair, although it's yet to yield much of an advantage for the Azzurri thus far.

With Gried Laidlaw taking care of kicking duties, Tonks will have a lightened workload and need only concentrate on ensuring good ammunition for his midfield. 

Italy, on the other hand, will lean heavily on Haimona to take any shots at goal he can, shouldering a considerably heavier burden than his counterpart.