Italian Job done – but it was far from pretty as Dark Blues win ugly
ITALY 17 SCOTLAND 28
Scotland won ugly yesterday in one of Italy’s most beautiful cities.
They made hard work of beating the Azzurri in their opening Autumn Nations Cup fixture to rack up their fifth victory on the trot for the first time since 2011, even though they outscored their hosts by four tries to one.
All the elements that helped them to their hoodoo-busting win in Wales last time out – the scrum, the maul and the ruck – misfired in the Stadio Artemio Franchi, and it was only in the final quarter that they finally and decisively wrested the upper hand from their hosts.
As coach Gregor Townsend admitted: “There are areas to improve but we’re also delighted with that resolve to go out and win the game.
“Time was ticking on a bit in that second half but the players had real belief that it was going to be their day.”
Italy must take massive credit for Scotland’s woes as they put in their most-aggressive performance for some time, prop Danilo Fischetti and No. 8 Jake Polledri both having huge games, and their in-your-face energy clearly knocked the Scots out of their stride.
However, early injuries hampered the visitors in those vital areas as prop Rory Sutherland and key breakdown pest Jamie Ritchie both had to be withdrawn before quarter-of-an-hour was up.
Add the fact that they were fielding their third-choice flyhalf – Duncan Weir making his first Test start in four-and-a-half years – and the lack of shape and composure was at least partially understandable.
However, Scotland’s discipline in the first half was truly awful as they continually coughed up needless penalties, allowing rookie stand-off Paolo Garbisi to keep the scoreboard ticking over before they screwed the nut in the second period.
Townsend said: “We were getting frustrated with some of the calls in the first half. But we were much improved in the second half.
“To go 37 minutes (without giving away a penalty) was a great effort.”
Some Scots did show up well. Wing Duhan van der Merwe scored his second try in three caps and was named Man of the Match, largely for his obvious appetite for work – he was seen in the middle of the paddock as often as he was out on his left-wing beat as he made more than 150 metres with ball in hand.
Also Chris Harris showed up well in attack once again. But on the debit side, the lingering question at No. 8 is still unanswered.
Blade Thomson has yet to transfer his club form to the international stage and this was his second largely anonymous display at the back of the pack after wandering around the Llanelli pitch a fortnight ago to no great effect.
Scottish indiscipline had allowed Garbisi to boot Italy 6-0 ahead before a spate of Italian penalties allowed them to build momentum and pressure, van der Merwe cutting an unstoppable line to romp over the whitewash with Weir’s first conversion of four nudging them into a one-point lead.
The advantage lasted less than a minute, though, as great offloading and support running – and weir missing a tackle – saw Matteo Minozzi finish off a superb try in the corner and the sides swapped ends with Italy 11-7 to the good.
At half-time Townsend will have hammered home the point that discipline had to improve but barely two minutes into the second 40, Thomson bumped the Italian lineout jumper in the air and Garbisi goaled another selfinflicted three-pointer.
Scotland rallied again, though, as Zander Fagerson staggered over the Italian line – seemingly in slow motion – but Italy weren’t about to give up.
Usually they fade in the second half but the scent of a rare win gave them extra reserves of energy and when the Scots strayed offside in defence, Garbisi kicked them ahead once again.
Scotland finally took control when replacement hooker George Turner made the hard yards and Ali Price’s pop pass saw Scott Cummings crash over before Turner finished off a powerful maul to notch the late, bonuspoint try.
SCOTLAND – Hogg (Capt.); Graham (Kinghorn 66), Harris, Johnson (Lang 68), van der Merwe; Weir, Price (Hidalgo-clyne 71); Sutherland (Kebble 16), Mcinally (Turner 62), Fagerson (Nel 66), Cummings, Gray, Ritchie (Haining 13) (Skinner 62), Watson, Thomson.