Italy v Scotland talking points: Italy shine on day to forget for Scotland

What a day this was for Italy, certainly one for them to remember at the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi and one for Scotland to certainly forget.

The Italians were excellent from minute one to minute 80 in Parma to secure a bonus point win and their first triumph of this Guinness Women’s Six Nations campaign.

Winger Alyssa D’Inca and tighthead prop Vittoria Zanette [2] went over to make it 15-0 before the 30 minute mark. D’Inca then bagged her second try before fellow winger Aura Muzzo went over. With both of those scores converted by centre Michela Sillari, Italy were 29-0 up at half-time.

Scotland actually ‘won’ the second half 14-12 with Italy having three players yellow carded at various stages, but this game belonged well and truly to the buoyant home side.

Here are the game’s main talking points…

Italy came flying out of the blocks in attack

Having had tough away games against France and Ireland to kick off their Championship, Italy were delighted to be back on home soil and they made the most of it in the first half an hour. By that point they were 15-0 up and in complete control with forwards and backs linking up very well and testing Scotland through the middle and on the edge. Scrum-half Sofia Stefan and winger Alyssa D’Inca were excellent, but this was a real team effort.

In defence they were excellent too

By the half hour mark they had scored three tries, but just as pleasing on the eye was Italy’s defensive work. They were not giving Scotland any chance at all to get on the front foot in the early exchanges and the statistic of six turnovers in that period says it all really. They were first to every breakdown with the back-row trio of Francesca Sgorbini, Alissa Ranuccini and captain Elisa Giordano leading the charge.

The one-way traffic just continued

Two more tries came from Italy before half-time after their first three and they were in dreamland. To be leading 29-0 at that stage would have been beyond their wildest hopes at kick-off and everything they were touching was turning to gold. They then managed to score a sixth soon after the interval to make it 34-0 and the game was all but won at that stage. Scotland were always going to have a mini purple patch at some pooint, but by the time it came the hosts knew they already had this one in the bag.

Scotland’s did not fire a shot until the 50th minute

Scotland were already missing a lot of players through injury and lost captain Rachel Malcolm before kick-off and then back-rows Rachel McLachlan and Alex Stewart during the match, but this was a very poor performance whatever the circumstances. It took them 25 minutes to even get into the Italian 22m and it took them 50 minutes to even go close to a try when winger Shona Campbell was just bundled into touch. Their attack was toothless here and they let Italy dictate the tempo of proceedings.

The fallow week has come at a good time for Scotland

After a battling 24-19 win over Wales in round one, Scotland have now been thumped by England 84-7 and by Italy 41-14. In those last two games they have conceded 19 tries and the players who are still fit will be feeling pretty bruised and battered. Things don’t get any easier as they have France and Ireland to come on Saturday 9 May and Sunday 17 May respectively, but they now have – and need – a few days off to regroup and reset.

Italy can build from this

The fallow week is probably coming at the wrong time for Italy who are now on a high. They have England to play next at home on Saturday 9 May back at this same venue in Parma before heading to Wales in round five on Sunday 17 May. If they can show the same energy in attack and defence as they did in this game then they can try and keep building against the English and then really challenge Wales at Cardiff Arms Park.