Barclay ready for Bergamasco battle

JOHN BARCLAY felt for Mauro Bergamasco when Italy’s extraordinary gamble of playing the flanker at scrum-half backfired so spectacularly.

But that will not stop the Scotland openside piling on the misery for his opposite number when they go head to head in tomorrow’s crucial RBS 6 Nations clash at Murrayfield.

Italy head coach Nick Mallett’s decision to play Bergamasco at half-back has been branded one of the biggest selection blunders in the history of Test rugby.