Below-par Scotland beaten by Italy in Six Nations

Women's Six Nations

Scotland (7) 17

Tries: Rollie, Gallagher, McGhie Con: Nelson

Italy (10) 25

Tries: Sgorbini, Muzzo (2), Minuzzi, D'Inca

Scotland were near to rue a below-par capacity aft losing astatine location to Italy successful information 3 of nan Women's Six Nations.

Chloe Rollie gave nan Scots an early lead pinch nan opening try, but nan Azzurri struck backmost pinch scores from Francesca Sgorbini and Aura Muzzo to spell successful 10-7 up astatine nan break.

Evie Gallagher and Francesca McGhie crossed aft nan interval, but tries from Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, Alyssa D'Inca and a 2nd from Muzzo sealed a deserved first triumph for nan Italians.

Bryan Easson's broadside are near pinch 1 triumph from their 3 matches and look title-chasing England next, while Italy big France.

The Scots struck first erstwhile nan battalion sewage a rotation connected from a line-out maul. The shot was whipped wide to Rollie and while she looked to person turned into excessively overmuch traffic, nan full-back stepped and powered her measurement to nan tryline.

The location broadside had nan lead but it was Italy who were connected apical successful nan opening half hour. The visitors sewage their reward erstwhile Sgorbini breached nan Scottish defence and dived complete from adjacent range.

Italy scored a awesome 2nd effort erstwhile centre Michela Sillari drew a mates of defenders and delayed her walk to perfection to group Muzzo free to score.

The Scots yet generated immoderate section position and were awarded a punishment conscionable extracurricular nan Italy 22. Rather than look to level things up going into nan break, they kicked for nan corner, mislaid possession from nan consequent line-out and nan chance was gone.

Three points down having hardly fired a changeable was by nary intends a disaster, but Scotland were successful request of a spark and they sewage it early successful nan 2nd half erstwhile a smart play from a 5m line-out sent Gallagher complete to regain nan lead.

Italy showed nary signs of carrying immoderate scars from chastening losses to England and Ireland earlier successful nan championship.

They were playing pinch assurance and greater fluency than their hosts, and erstwhile Lisa Thomson kicked loosely pinch a clearance, nan Scots were punished.

Ostuni Minuzzi fielded nan kick, ran heavy into nan reddish area to speech passes pinch D'Inca and glide complete for a terrific try.

To make matters worse, Thomson was sin-binned for a precocious tackle arsenic she tried to forestall nan people and nan location broadside were really up against it now.

The visitors made hay pinch nan Scots down a player, Beatrice Rigoni whipping a agelong shot retired for D'Inca to hit nan screen defence and people successful nan corner.

Eight points down and successful a hole, Scotland yet started forcing nan crippled down into Italian territory and McGhie skipped done to people and group up a gripping past 5 minutes.

The awesome Scottish flight enactment did not materialise arsenic Italy reclaimed nan inaugural and created abstraction for Muzzo to people her 2nd effort of nan day and seal a memorable triumph for nan Azzurri.

Scotland: Rollie; Lloyd, Orr, Thomson, McGhie; Nelson, Brebner-Holden; Young, Skeldon, Clarke, Bonar, Boyd, Malcolm (capt), McLachlan, Gallagher.

Replacements: Martin, Bartlett, Poolman, Ferrie, Konkel, Stewart, Mattinson, Scott.

Italy: Ostuni Minuzzi; Muzzo, Sillari, Rigoni, D'Inca; Stevanin, Stefan; Turani, Vecchini, Seye, Tounesi, Duca, Sgorbini, Veronese, Giordano (capt).

Replacements: Spinelli, Stecca, Maris, Fedrighi, Ranuccini, Bitonci, Madia, Mannini.

Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SA)

TMO: Rachel Horton (Aus)