Like a lot of the structure and landmarks dotted round this historical metropolis, Scotland’s Six Nations marketing campaign is in ruins.
Crashing to a disastrous defeat towards Italy at a raucous Stadio Olimpico, this was successfully a knockout blow to Scotland’s hopes of profitable the championship.
An impressed Italian facet switched the lights off on Scotland’s title prospects, with a woeful second-half efficiency turning the highlight firmly on Gregor Townsend.
They are saying that every one roads result in Rome. However, after such lamentable second-half show, there might be loads of followers who really feel this might properly be the top of the street for Townsend.
The top coach refused to reply questions on his future afterwards. Underneath contract till 2026, he appears intent to hold on.
Italy claimed a primary residence Six Nations win since 2015 by beating Scotland 31-29, producing a second-half comeback
Scotland had led 22-16 at half-time however Italy rallied after the break to stun Gregor Townsend’s males
However the marketing campaign was lowered to rubble in Rome. With a visit to face Eire in Dublin subsequent weekend, the Scots are staring down the barrel of simply two wins on this 12 months’s championship.
Progress? What progress? This was a defeat which dynamited any notion that this crew are transferring ahead underneath Townsend.
On the opening day of the championship in Cardiff, Scotland bought out of jail after a horrible second half.
They bought away with it towards Wales. They didn’t get away with it towards Italy, who totally deserved their victory.
Scotland blew a 12-point lead in a chaotic – but wildly enthralling – recreation of rugby. They misplaced all sense of management and self-discipline.
This was Italy’s first residence win within the Six Nations since 2013. They confirmed resilience to combat their method again into the sport and deserve immense credit score.
For Scotland, critical questions will now be requested of the place this crew are going underneath Townsend.
They don’t seem to be mathematically out of the title hunt, however any notion of them going to Dublin subsequent weekend and being topped champions is the stuff of fantasy.
Italy have been jubilant following the sport, with some gamers even being seen in tears
This defeat deflated any notion that this Scotland crew are transferring ahead underneath Townsend
Even after Eire’s defeat to England, the Scots must engineer a 77-point swing in factors distinction to overtake the Irish, while additionally hoping that different outcomes go their method.
Plainly, it’s simply not going to occur. In a method, this defeat in Rome felt much more painful when Eire misplaced at Twickenham simply a few hours later.
Finally, it has been one other 12 months of missed alternatives for Scotland, who proceed to collapse inexplicably at instances.
This was the primary time since 2016 that the Olimpico had been offered out for a Six Nations match. It proved to be fairly a spectacle because the groups lined up for the anthems previous to kick-off.
Led by Denis Dallan, a former worldwide who received 42 caps for the Azzurri earlier than changing into a singer, the house followers belted out a thunderous rendition of Fratelli d’Italia.
There’s something magical in regards to the Italian anthem, all of the extra so when it’s delivered by 70,000 roaring Roman voices at a packed Olimpico.
It was a wall of noise that greeted Scotland as the sport bought underneath method, however, lower than 60 seconds in, there was a second of déjà vu for Paolo Garbisi.
His final act on a rugby discipline in Lille two weeks in the past was to overlook a penalty after the ball had fallen off the tee within the 13-13 draw with France.
Louis Lynagh marked his debut with a strive after getting on the top of a Paolo Garbisi kick
On Saturday, the exact same factor occurred once more, solely this time Garbisi’s penalty sailed between the posts after he had repositioned the ball on the tee. He ran off with a wry smile.
However Italy’s early lead wouldn’t final lengthy as Scotland scored twice within the area of six minutes to surge forward.
Zander Fagerson powered over for the primary, after Scotland had gone via 18 phases, with George Horne dictating the tempo and angle of assault.
Kyle Steyn scored the second strive after being fed by Blair Kinghorn, though it was Duhan van der Merwe who had initially smashed an enormous gap within the Italian defence.
Finn Russell transformed each tries to place the Scots 14-3 forward and it appeared like they could properly take management.
The concession of two quickfire tries would have knocked the stuffing out of Italy in years passed by. However this crew have a more durable edge to them underneath head coach Gonzalo Quesada.
Their response was spectacular, with centre Juan Ignacio Brex amassing a kick excessive from scrum-half Martin Web page-Relo to run in and rating underneath the posts.
Russell kicked a penalty to increase Scotland’s lead, earlier than he nailed an excellent 50-22 to assist create the third strive on 28 minutes.
Stephen Varney scored Italy’s third strive of the afternoon to place them right into a commanding place and Townsend’s modifications could not change the consequence
After the lineout maul had rumbled in direction of the road, Pierre Schoeman peeled away and touched down for the strive, with Russell’s conversion crusing simply vast.
It had been a breathless, chaotic first half. Making his first begin of the championship, Andy Christie made an important break however simply ran out of legs and assist.
Additional penalties from Garbisi and Web page-Relo introduced Italy nearer as they trailed by six factors at 22-16 at half-time.
Scotland began the second half properly and it appeared like that they had scored a fourth strive when Huw Jones made an important break and fed Horne on a usually energetic assist line.
However, after Horne had ran in to attain, the strive was dominated out after Schoeman was deemed to have impeded Italy No 8 Ross Vintcent within the build-up.
It was a lifeline for Italy – and it was one they took full benefit of as they got here roaring again to stun Scotland.
On 44 minutes, Louis Lynagh marked his debut by amassing a Garbisi kick in behind the Scottish defence to race away and rating.
The conversion from Garbisi thumped the put up when it could have put Italy forward had it been profitable. It felt prefer it may very well be a vital miss, however Italy have been unmoved.
Substitute scrum-half Stephen Varney was the beneficiary of an excellent break from Vintcent, scoring their third strive of the afternoon with Garbisi slotting the conversion.
Scotland had misplaced all management. As was the case in Cardiff on the opening weekend, the second half was only a whole non-performance.
Townsend introduced on 4 replacements on the hour-mark, Ali Value, Matt Fagerson, Ewan Ashman and Alec Hepburn all despatched on to attempt to change the momentum of the match.
But it surely didn’t work. One other penalty from Garbisi stretched Italy’s result in 31-22 with simply seven minutes left to play. Crucially, they have been now out of attain
A late strive from Sam Skinner, which Russell transformed, supplied Scotland hope they usually pummelled away on the Italian line lengthy after the clock had gone crimson.
But it surely was whole desperation as a lot as the rest. If Scotland had pinched it on the finish, it could have been theft.
When the full-time whistle was blown, the Olimpico erupted. Rome roared in celebration at a well-known consequence.
Their first residence win within the Six Nations since 2013, this can be a crew on the rise. As for Scotland, it’s anybody’s guess the place they go from right here.
To not fear, it’s solely Eire in Dublin subsequent…