Pressure piles on Townsend after Scotland slump to Six Nations defeat against Italy

There was purpose about the Scottish start but there was little by way of accuracy. The line-out was a mess early on and it fed Italy’s belief. Louis Lynagh pounced on a Brex grubber to open the scoring before the wing was at it again in the air moments later, pilfering possession for Menoncello’s try. No 8 Jack Dempsey, one of few shining lights for Scotland, pulled one back before half-time but a Paolo Garbisi penalty gave Italy an eight-point lead at the break which, with the weather setting in, felt far healthier.

And so it was. Italy managed just a sole Garbisi penalty in the second half but that was all the hosts needed to secure a second consecutive victory over Scotland in Rome. George Turner’s sin-binning for a dodgy ruck clean-out on Zuliani did nothing to help the visitors’ cause but there was a rearguard: Russell kicked three points and the lively George Horne slid over but Italy held on in a thrilling last stand which saw Scotland cycle through nearly 30 phases in a desperate bid to snatch victory.

The Azzurri have never finished above fourth in the Six Nations and will have grand designs on achieving something special this year. Nonetheless, after this victory, the pressure is off for them ahead of their trip to Dublin next weekend; for Scotland, however, the reverse is true with England in waiting.

Match details

Scoring sequence: 5-0 Lynagh try, 10-0 Menoncello try, 12-0 P Garbisi con, 12-5 Dempsey try, 12-7 Russell con, 15-7 P Garbisi pen, 15-10 Russell pen, 18-10 P Garbisi pen, 18-15 Horne try. 

Italy: L Marin (Pani 73); L Lynagh, J-I Brex, T Menoncello, M Ioane; P Garbisi, A Fusco (A Garbisi, 60); D Fischetti (Spagnolo 58, Fischetti 80), G Nicotera (Di Bartolomeo 58), S Ferrari (Hasa 58); N Cannone, A Zambonin (Ruzza 68); M Lamaro (Zuliani 68), M Zuliani (Favretto 54), L Cannone.
Replacement: Da Re.

Scotland: T Jordan; K Steyn, H Jones, S Tuipulotu, J Dobie (Graham 49); F Russell, B White (Horne 64); P Schoeman (McBeth 28, Schoeman 36, McBeth 49), E Ashman (Turner 49), Z Fagerson (Millar-Mills 64), S Cummings, G Gilchrist (Brown 49); M Fagerson (Williamson 64), R Darge (Ashman 60, Darge 64), J Dempsey.
Replacement: Hastings.
Sin-bin: Turner 54.

Referee: Ben O’Keeffe.