A flat Scotland performance saw them lose 25-17 to Italy in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh on Sunday.
Scotland took the lead in the 14th minute when full-back Chloe Rollie burst into the line after a good lineout and finished very well. Stand-off Helen Nelson converted for 7-0. Scrum-half Leia Brebner-Holden was then forced off to be replaced by Caity Mattinson.
Italy got themselves on the scoreboard 11 minutes later when back-row Francesca Sgorbini went over for an unconverted try.
In the 29th minute Scotland got caught short defensively out wide and Italy winger Aura Muzzo scored their second unconverted try to make it 10-7.
With Scotland’s passing not as crisp as usual that was the way the score remained at half-time with the hosts looking for another level at the interval.
They did get off to a good start in the second period when a neat lineout move caught Italy napping and No.8 Evie Gallagher scored an unconverted try to make it 12-10.
With 24 minutes to go Scotland shot themselves in the foot by giving the ball away and Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, the full-back, scored to make it 15-12 while home centre Lisa Thomson was yellow carded for a high tackle.
Just before Thomson returned it was 20-12 after Italy winger Alyssa D’inca scored a try.
Winger Francesca McGhie’s try in the 74th minute for Scotland made it 20-17 and set up an exciting finale.
Player of the Match Muzzo’s second try of the day won it for Italy though and they deserved this 25-17 bonus point triumph.
Highlights and details can be found here.
Here are five talking points from the game…
Scotland just never really got going
Given Scotland had beaten Wales in round one in the competition, played well in parts in defeat to France in round two and beaten Italy the last three times the teams had played there was an air of expectancy around the Hive on Sunday. Italy had not read the script and, credit to them, they played well, but Scotland never got anywhere close to their best.
Twice taking lead couldn’t spark things
Despite not being anywhere near their best, the Scots did go 7-0 up in the 14th minute and 12-10 up just after half-time, but even after those positive moments Scotland could not build on them. Italy got back into things quite soon after on both occasions and it never felt at any stage that the home side were in control of the game.
Italy’s carriers outshone Scotland’s carriers
In total Italy carried for 842 metres across the 80 minutes while the Scots could only manage 542. That was down in part to a well-organised Italian defence, but the Scots’ attack was also a bit flat. Francesca Sgorbini, Sara Tounesi and Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi all carried 15 times apiece for Italy and they just seemed to have a bit more grunt to their forwards carries too.
Scotland got sucked into trying to play an offloading game
Given Italy had lost their first two matches in the competition the way they came out and attacked with flair and with offloads out of contact was impressive. Scotland seemed to get sucked in to trying to do the latter too rather than just playing their own game, especially in the first half, and often they seemed like panicked offloads rather than calculated ones.
Leaders in the group important now
You don’t become a bad team because of one under par performance and Scotland have still won 13 of the last 19 Tests, but this one will sting. There are so many good leaders in this group that on Sunday evening and Monday at the team hotel they will get the group together, have honest chats, keep spirits high, park this and move on to England preparations.
- Elsewhere this weekend France beat Wales 43-12 in round three and England also secured a bonus point triumph 49-5 away to Ireland.
Scotland squad that played Italy: Chloe Rollie; Rhona Lloyd, Emma Orr, Lisa Thomson, Francesca McGhie; Helen Nelson, Leia Brebner-Holden; Anne Young, Lana Skeldon, Elliann Clarke, Becky Boyd, Sarah Bonar, Rachel Malcolm (C), Rachel McLachlan, Evie Gallagher. Subs: Elis Martin, Leah Bartlett, Molly Poolman, Adelle Ferrie, Alex Stewart, Jade Konkel, Caity Mattinson, Lucia Scott.
The Guinness Women’s Six Nations runs from March 22 to April 26 and, next up at home, Scotland are at Hive Stadium in round five versus Ireland on the final day – get tickets here.
Italy secured a bonus point win and one of their tries is pictured
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