The Sunday Post (Dundee)

Scots are facingwood­en Spoon

- By Stuart Bathgate SPORT@SUNDAYPOST.COM

Scotland will meet Wales in a Wooden Spoon decider on Saturday after being overpowere­d 41-20 by the Italians in this Six Nations Group A game at Scotstoun yesterday. The visitors, who scored seven tries to two, go through to a third-place play-off against Group B runners-up Ireland.

France, who defeated the Irish 56-15 in yesterday’s early match, will play England in the final, also next Saturday.

Scotland were a dozen points down before they really got into the game.

Beatrice Rigoni got the Italians’ first try with a powerful run, and Michela Sillari converted. A lost lineout then led to a second try – unconverte­d this time – for captain Manuela Furlan.

Midway through the half, hooker Lana Skeldon grabbed a try back from a lineout maul. Captain Helen Nelson converted, then added a penalty to make it 10-12.

However, a fumbled restart gave away possession, and blindside flanker Ilaria Arrighetti burst through to touch down and give Sillari an easy conversion making it 10-19 at the break.

Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi put the visitors further ahead before Nelson got a second penalty. A second try for Furlan stretched the lead before Rigoni got her own second.

Emma Wassell scored from a lineout and Nelson converted. But the Italians had the last word as Furlan completed her hat-trick.

 ??  ?? Scotland captain Helen Nelson in the thick of the action
Scotland captain Helen Nelson in the thick of the action

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