Benetton, a bang abroad to fully relaunch

Edinburgh has a mad desire to make up for it after the defeat suffered at the end of Monigo thanks to a drop by Marin. Brex and Ioane instead of Morisi and Padovani

Silvano Focarelli from Venice

A bang abroad to fully relaunch. This is what Benetton needs to make the definitive leap in quality, which home victories alone cannot yet guarantee. A very difficult undertaking, however, tonight against the other Scotsman overtaken in extremis in Monigo by Leo Marin: a football against Glasgow, a drop against Edinburgh, which the only defeat of the season has so far known on that occasion: imagine the desire to rematch after being mocked like that. Team from the same Italian-Scottish geographical group to which the Glasgow Warriors and the Zebras also belong, and which among other things clearly aims for the top, being just one point apart (23 against 24, Benetton at 16) from the Leinster-Munster duo . Moreover, it will be a match that will be played in ideal climatic conditions for those who live in the Highlands: cold (5 degrees), drizzle and 94% humidity. In short, it will be necessary to grit your teeth and remain compact for 80 minutes, taking care not to overdo the indiscipline and to limit the balls given away for some mistake, sometimes even trivial. A static, physically nerve-wracking match is announced, where the scrum will play an even more important role. «We have one day less preparation but we have prepared ourselves to the maximum» assures Rhyno Smith, author of the meta-flash against the Warriors, «putting the match against Glasgow on file. It will be a difficult game, it will be very cold and new elements compared to a week ago and we will have to be good at playing in our half, to score when we have the possibility and we will have to put pressure on Edinburgh, a very good team. It will be a truly physical challenge, especially for the work of our forwards, but the backs will also have to do well, the aerial battle will be important. They have excellent players in touch, then it is a question of understanding who will exert pressure first: we will have to follow our game plan, play a simple rugby in our half of the pitch ».

Coach Marco Bortolami this time preferred to implement a targeted turnover: there are only four changes compared to the XV of 8 days ago, apart from Brex, they are the national teams who were held off last week. Among the trocar Nacho Brex takes the place of Luca Morisi in the center and Monty Ioane that of Edoardo Padovani in the wing; in the forwards the novelties are Niccolò Cannone who replaces Carl Wegner and the welcome return to the heel of Hame Faiva for Lucchesi. Coetzee, Favretto, Ferrari, Nicotera and Petrozzi are always unavailable. In the opponent’s field historic milestone for the third line (and specialist in stolen balls, 6 so far) Magnus Bradbury, who will reach the milestone of 100 appearances. There are 20 precedents, rather balanced, between Benetton and the formation of the Scottish capital. 9 victories for the Lions and 11 defeats.

Says coach Mike Blair, fresh from the 30-14 success on the field of the Dragons: «We were really satisfied with the performance of the guys last week and the energy and physicality they put into training this week. We have discussed a lot about the way we want to play and we want to maintain that level of performance on this occasion as well. Benetton is a team that we know well having faced them both in the pre-season and on the second day. They play with passion and physicality, two attributes that we too must have for the whole 80 minutes ». –