Six Nations, Scotland-Italy 26-14: the Azzurri finish last, wooden spoon

At the end of a game that was not at all decipherable, without masters, after having come close to the sensational overtaking in the final, Italy was defeated 26-14 by Scotland at Murrayfield in the match that opened the fifth and final day of the Six Nations. For coach Greg Townsend’s team, by now without ambitions for a title after the defeat against Ireland a week ago, the third victory still arrives, which with the bonus is worth the momentary link to France (which will later host Wales) at the second place with 15 points. Coach Kieran Crowley’s Azzurri thus finished last with 1 point. It might seem counterintuitive, but despite 5 defeats and last place in the standings, Italy played a Six Nations overall and qualitatively better than a year ago, when a bad tournament was forgotten thanks to a single action (Ange Capuozzo’s sprint for Edoardo Padovani’s try to give Cardiff the surprising victory at the end). The disappointment remains for the opportunity thrown away a week ago with Wales at the Olimpico, with the Azzurri failing precisely on the most important day, but the progress made from the point of view of the game, substance, consistency and of the individuals themselves.

FOULS

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Italy got off to a great start and forced the Scots to defend in difficulty, so much so that they conceded 3 free-kicks in 7 minutes: Tommaso Allan went for goal twice, missed the first time in the 4th minute but sent in the second one in the 8th minute. However, the Scottish reaction was not long in coming: in the 13th minute Huw Jones accelerated and left Alessandro Fusco on the spot, then triggered Duhan van der Merwe with a flat pass and the winger managed to crush passing miraculously in flight around the flag despite the desperate tackle by Paolo Garbisi (transformation failed by Blair Kinghorn, the person in charge due to the simultaneous absence of Sturt Hogg and Finn Russell). On the recovery of the oval from the following kick-off, the Scots commit a foul which allows Allan to return to the pitch for the 6-5. A forward from Luca Morisi after a good ball recovered by the Azzurri in a ruck right in front of the posts, kicks off a chain of events that costs dearly: the Azzurri give way and at the third rest the referee draws a yellow card for Marco Riccioni , so in the second half Scotland can organize an attack with relative calm, Ben White comes out with the ball, waits for a game time before serving Blair Kinghorn who with a fake inside evades Fusco and can comfortably stretch in goal (which this time Kinghorn transform). With time running out, Italy had good possession in the opponent’s half of the pitch, they grind yards but in the end commit a hold and concede a free-kick, the hosts however decide to go into touch and continue playing, to open up a sensational space on the right with the decisive save by rookie Simone Gesi (21-year-old winger from Livorno for Zebre), who manages to close on Kyle Steyn’s offload attempt, regaining the oval that can finally be kicked out.

UNDESERVED

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But the third try comes at the start of the second half, at the end of a 10-phase attack that forces the Azzurri to defend themselves on the line: White pulls short for Kinghorn who slips into the middle of Sebastian Negri and Juan Ignacio Brex, who both close late, to then push another step that allows him to reach and dunk (and then transform too). With the victory apparently secured, Scotland slowed down a bit and left the Azzurri a little more field, but they didn’t find the opportunity to become dangerous. Up until the 62nd minute, when Italy orchestrates a good lunge with balls served forward, from the ruck Alessandro Garbisi (replaced Fusco) serves his brother Paolo short towards the left winger who surprises the players from behind with a good grubber defenders and serves Allan perfectly, who only needs to dunk for 11-19 (failed conversion). Then in the 66th minute a goal by Paolo Garbisi made it -5. The 25-year-old hooker Marco Manfredi made his debut in the 70th minute, replacing Giacomo Nicotera. In the 76th minute Scotland concedes a bloody free-kick which allows the Azzurri to go into touch at 5 miles from the Azzurri, then on the assault on the line the Scots concede two more, but just when the hosts seem about to collapse it’s one Giovanni Pettinelli’s unfortunate forward and make the sensational feat vanish. And in the last scrum between the posts, the Scots play to the advantage and invent a sensational counterattack, with the Azzurri surprised and exhausted, with Kinghorn running off, chased in vain for the try that is worth the offensive bonus and which also transforms the final 26-14. An ending that undeservedly punishes Italy.