Sloppy Scotland stunned as Italy make winning start to Six Nations amid deluge

They say the Six Nations is all about momentum and Scotland, again, find themselves sliding rapidly downhill. Passion and effort are guaranteed from any Italy team but they were clinical here too and defended magnificently. They ruthlessly capitalised on Scotland’s often rank inaccuracy and a richly deserved win – their second in three years against Scotland – sets them up beautifully for the tournament.

The fly-half Paolo Garbisi played the appallingly wet conditions superbly to celebrate his 50th Test cap, testing the visitors’ defence with regular, spiralling contestable kicks and mostly striking the ball well off the tee. The centres Tommaso Menoncello and Juan Ignacio Brex, also marking his 50th cap, were sensational again while the energy and skill of the wing Louis Lynagh significantly softened the blow of Ange Capuozzo’s injury absence. Collectively, in difficult conditions, Italy’s handling and ball movement were far superior to Scotland’s and arguably, for head coach Gregor Townsend and his players, there is no excuse for that.

Scotland were outplayed but caused their own downfall in so many respects. The set-piece, ball-handling and discipline were all shockingly poor at times. Townsend was already under pressure, which will now intensify, and perhaps they can raise their level for England next Saturday. But that is not the point. If progress is truly being made, this was a match they had to win.

There had been heavy rain in the air, but it had ceased by the time the Italy captain Michele Lamaro took the field with Garbisi and Brex to mark the trio reaching a half-century of caps. Rain returned in earnest during a first half when the Azzurri, perhaps surprisingly, dealt with the poor conditions far better, and even thrived. Gonzalo Quesada’s side had 35% of possession in the first half, but led by eight points at the break thanks to two sweetly taken tries.

First, the scrum-half Alessandro Fusco – playing in the absence of the injured No 9 colleagues Martin Page-Relo and Stephen Varney – fooled the Scottish defence into thinking he was moving the ball left from a ruck inside the visitors’ half. When he went right instead, there was space, but the execution still needed to be perfect: Brex’s grubber kick was expertly collected by Lynagh and Italy were off the mark.

Lynagh was prominent in the second Italian try, too, brilliantly claiming a garryowen from Garbisi. When the ball was quickly shifted left the Scots’ defence was caught out again and Menoncello applied a wonderful finish, hugging the touchline and sprinting over, allowing Garbisi to clip over the conversion. Scotland needed a response and got it via a fine jinking finish from close range by Glasgow’s Jack Dempsey after they finally built some attacking momentum.

Italy’s Alessandro Fusco tries to curtail Jack Dempsey’s progress as the standing water level increases at Stadio Olimpico. Photograph: Remo Casilli/Reuters

Scotland started the second half with a handy attacking lineout, but when Ewan Ashman overthrew it, Menoncello was released on a rampaging run and Scotland, again, were counting the cost of their own inaccuracy. Ashman promptly fluffed another couple of lineouts and the cost to Scotland’s hopes of a recovery was incalculable.

Ashman’s uncomfortable afternoon continued when the television match official spotted a high tackle, gifting Italy a penalty in front of the posts, and an opportunity to stretch their lead. Garbisi did not waste it and recreated an eight-point lead. The rain continued to lash down and when Scotland built phases and momentum into the Italian 22 – and won a penalty – still they found a way to undermine themselves, with George Turner shown a yellow card for a dangerous ruck clear-out.

Italy wing Monty Ioane falls to the deck and sends water flying as the conditions worsen in Rome. Photograph: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP/Getty Images

George Horne, the replacement scrum-half, brought energy off the bench, willing his teammates onwards, and he applied a perceptive finish on 67 minutes when Scotland opted, bravely, to kick a penalty for the corner. Russell’s missed conversion from a difficult position, meant it was a three-point game moving into the final 10 minutes.

It was a platform for late drama, and a chance for a victory that Scotland scarcely deserved. But you can add smart game-management to Italy’s list of assets. First they kicked a penalty for the corner, then they repelled a massive, desperate drive for the line by Scotland that ran to nearly 30 phases with the clock deep in the red. A magnificent result for Quesada and his team but same old, same old for Scotland.