Autumn Nations Cup: Italy 17-28 Scotland - Gregor Townsend's side come from behind
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George Turner's late try sealed victory for Scotland in Florence
Autumn Nations Cup: Italy v Scotland |
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Italy (11) 17 |
Try: Minozzi Pens: Garbisi 4 |
Scotland (7) 28 |
Try: Van der Merwe, Fagerson, Cummings, Turner Cons: Weir 4 |
Scotland recovered from a slow start to beat Italy in their Autumn Nations Cup opener and earn a fifth win in a row.
Scott Cummings, Zander Fagerson and George Turner crossed in the second half to finally quell the Italians.
The hosts performed ferociously, with Paolo Garbisi's boot and a fine Matteo Minozzi score looking like earning them a first win in nine against Scotland.
But those second-half tries - added to Duhan van der Merwe's opener - clinched a 28-17 victory in Florence.
Gregor Townsend's side host France in their second game of the competition next Sunday.
The French had their Pool B opener against Fiji postponed after a spate of coronavirus cases in the latter's camp. It has yet to be decided if they will be awarded victory.
Italy by far better side in first half
Italy's rage for victory was evident from the off - even before the off, if truth be told.
The thunderous way they belted out their anthem was a portent of trouble for the Scots, who won 17-0 in Rome in the Six Nations, then followed it up with three more wins against France, Georgia and Wales.
To say that Italy deserved their half-time lead would be to downplay what they delivered. For the most part, they were on top and excellent.
They were 3-0 ahead through a penalty from Garbisi, but that was that least of Scotland's problems. Jamie Ritchie went off early for a brain injury assessment and never returned. Then, Rory Sutherland went and was later seen on crutches.
Scotland's scrum, so strong against Wales, was in trouble. Their breakdown, utterly dominant in Llanelli, was bettered by the Italians, who were exceptional on the floor.
Garbisi made it 6-0 as Scotland's penalty count, so low in Wales, began to rise ominously.
Italy were ferocious in the first half, in particular, and deserved their interval lead
The moment Scotland got some ball, they scored, Van der Merwe cutting a great line off Ali Price to cruise over. That made it two tries in three Tests for the wing. The big man is proving to be everything that Scotland hoped he would be when he qualified on the residency rule.
The score was against the run of play and Italy resumed dominance within minutes. The try that put them back in front was a beauty, beginning with Marco Zanon's ferociousness in attack.
He started it by brushing off Duncan Weir's weak tackle and then handing-off Darcy Graham for good measure. He took Italy in behind and found support runners everywhere. Marcello Violi and Mattia Bellini evaded despairing last-ditch tackles and Bellini found Minozzi for a score of the highest class.
Garbisi missed the conversion but all the momentum was theirs. It had been a while since Scotland's defence had been shredded the way Italy had shredded it. It had been a while since their breakdown and their penalty count had looked so troubling.
The only downside for the Italians was that they held a mere four-point lead at the break. They deserved to be ahead by considerably more.
Scots have to battle... but earn win
Garbisi made it 14-7 early in the new half, but that was the galvanising moment for the visitors. At last they found something, some phases, some control, some Italian weakness.
Even then, Fagerson's try had good fortune attached. In trying to offload near the Italy line, Hamish Watson saw his pass hit an Italian hand and land flush in Fagerson's mitts.
The prop looked stunned momentarily, then jogged over the line. An easy five points, which became an easy seven when Weir banged over the conversion.
Zander Fagerson's try pulled Scotland level at 14-14
All square at 14-14, but not for long. Under major pressure, Stuart Hogg was adjudged to have carried the ball over his own line. When the siege ended, Italy had three more points from Garbisi. A quarter of the game remained.
The turning point came with 14 minutes left. Scotland had an eminently kickable penalty on offer - and a decision to make. A simple three or a bid for five or seven? They went for the latter - and it paid off.
Turner broke off the lineout maul and took Scotland close. Oli Kebble took them closer still. Price then found Cummings outside him and the lock crashed over. Weir added the extra two and Scotland led by four.
A fortnight ago in Llanelli, they went into the last 10 minutes with a narrow lead and managed the game wonderfully from there. They now had to do the same against a side that presented them with way more problems than Wales managed to muster.
They saw it out and in the process they added to their lead. Another lineout maul had an impact. It's proving to be quite a weapon for the Scots. Turner, as part of an excellent cameo, was on the end of the surge. Weir put over the conversion and Scotland had their win.
They had to battle for it, but this is five victories in a row now. The progress continues. For Italy, improvement, but that win remains elusive.
The Scots host France next. A sixth victory and things will get positively giddy.
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