Scotland v Italy - Scottish Rugby

17:05

17:02

Goodbye for now!

That’s all from us here today in Hive Stadium in Edinburgh.

Thank you for joining us and we hope to catch you for the England match next weekend. We’ll leave you with some in-match action in the form of pictures! Until next time.

17:00

Full time debrief

Scotland leave Hive empty handed today after being unable to rectify the half time deficit.

Coupled with a yellow card in a critical moment, the home side couldn’t find their feet.

Italy run out deserved winners today, scoring five tries and were relentless in their attacking lines. Scotland couldn’t handle their aggressive backline and ultimately suffered in the end.

Next up for Scotland is a trip to ladder-topping England before a final home match against Ireland on Saturday 26 April. We hope to see you for that one.

FT

Final throes

With the clock winding down, the final throes of Scotland’s chances for bonus points fade away as the ball is sent into the mixer in the midfield and knocked on.

The referee brings the game to a close and Italy are victorious.

Muzzo is named the player of the match after her two tries.

78'

TRY Italy – Muzzo

From a scrum in Scottish territory, Italy snipe inside the 22 and from the scrum half, the ball travels through the hands, ending up on the left wing.

Muzzo is credited with another try as she dots down by the corner flag. The extras aren’t added, and Scotland have it all to do with a few minutes remaining. (Scotland 17 – 25 Italy, 78 mins)

74'

TRY SCOTLAND! Fran McGhie

They set down for a scrum in the shadow of the posts, and Konkel’s first involvement in the match is to go off the back of the scrum and find Thomson.

Mattinson looks left and right, opting for Lloyd on the right wing, she makes it to the 5m line and Scotland are closing in on an important score.

It’ll be another scrum as Italy knocked on trying to win the ball back. Again the scrum is good, and Mattinson picks and goes. She snipes to the 5m line again and the forwards pile in for a go at the line. Phases rack up and the ball is flung wide to McGhie, who steps past one and goes over for a try!

She collapsed over the line 10m out from the touchline on the left, leaving Nelson with a tricky conversion, which she can’t add the extras. (Scotland 17 – 20 Italy, 74mins)

Malcolm goes off and Adelle Ferrie comes on.

69'

Scotland pushing hard to reduce deficit

A lineout drive for Scotland now, and it’s seemingly pulled down but nothing given. Forwards they rumble into the 22.

Out the back for Thomson who is back on the field after the sin bin stint; and play is pulled back for a penalty about 10 metres out.

Alex Stewart is on now for Rachel McLachlan, as the Scots decide what to do.

66'

TRY Italy – D’Incà

A lineout drive sees Italy go close again and a snipe from Stefan goes closer still.

The following phase goes over the line but it’s held up. Scotland breathe a collective sigh of relief.

The goal line drop out is good and it’s returned well by Ostuni Minuzzi, who puts in a clever chip and chase, collecting acrobatically before offloading inside the 22. The ball goes wide right now and it’s a two on one for Italy. The ball finds its way to winger Alyssa D’Incà who crosses over in the corner, extending Italy’s lead, and securing the bonus point try.

The conversion goes astray though. (Scotland 12 – 20 Italy, 67 mins)

63'

Italy probing again

Italy nearly go in again in the corner, but for a brilliant piece of defensive cover.

Jade Konkel and Molly Poolman are on now for Ellian Clarke and Evie Gallagher.

61'

Scotland showing signs of life

Just as Scotland look to be coming back into the fight with a lineout inside the Italian 22, Italy win a penalty for obstruction in the lineout.

After a clearing kick, Scotland win it back just outside their 22 and Nelson sends a thumping kick all the way down to the in-goal area from her 22, forcing Italy to dot down and have a 22-drop out.

Orr receives and returns with interest, but it’s ripped away and Italy clear to the 40m line. Another high tackle though gives Italy another penalty and a way out.

56'

TRY Italy – Ostuni Minuzzi

Today’s attendance is confirmed as 5029.

Scotland win a penalty from a dominant scrum, giving them the chance to recoup their clearing kick, which is made by Nelson.

After escaping the 22, they lose their throw and Italy have another chance to break through.

They go side to side and eventually break through from a combination of full back Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi offloading to Muzzo, to then overlap on the left wing and recollect the pass and go over in the corner! The conversion goes astray but Italy have retaken the lead. (Scotland 12 – 15 Italy, 57mins)

To add insult to injury, Thomson has been yellow carded for a high tackle.

52'

Scotland let off the hook

Another penalty for Italy, Scotland not rolling away. They kick to inside the 22 and the pack goes down quickly after the throw. They keep it close in with the forwards as they surge towards the line, but once again that final phase gets away from the visitors and they knock on with the line beckoning.

50'

Scotland ringing the changes

They do win the scrum and clear through Thomson. The Italian line is up quickly though and pressurise the clearance.

Scotland are making changes now – Elis Martin for Lana Skeldon, Leah Bartlett for Anne Young.

47'

Things heating up at Hive

Italy win a penalty of their own for Scotland holding on, and they kick to the corner.

They rumble it up towards the 5m line, and pick from the back to Rigoni, who has been threatening, but this time she drops it cold and Scotland can get out.

45'

TRY SCOTLAND! Evie Gallagher

Fran McGhie makes a nice break from the phase off the back of the Scotland scrum, and the home side are on the cusp of the 22.

Under penalty advantage, Scotland throw the kitchen sink at the Italians and play is brought back for not rolling away.

Nelson nails the kick to the corner, and the lineout move is brilliant – the false jumper going up and the throw goes low to Evie Gallagher, who collects and parts the Italian defence like the Red Sea, on her way to scoring!

That was a brilliantly worked set piece there from Scotland.

Nelson can’t add the extras this time. (Scotland 12 – 10 Italy, 46 mins)

42'

Back underway at Hive!

The second stanza is underway and it’s bounced a few times before going out for a Scottish lineout.

Nelson almost secures a 50-22 with a brilliant raking kick downfield, but or about a metre. A chip and chase almost goes the way of Italy, but they knock on in contact and Scotland have a scrum on the 40m line.

15:53

Half time debrief

Italy’s hard-running style has caught out Scotland this half. The visitors have been scything through Scottish defenders like it’s going out of business. You’d imagine Bryan Easson and his coaching staff will want to tighten up on that front come the second stanza.

In attack, Scotland look threatening, but they need to cut out the unnecessary handling errors which are costly thus far.

Scotland have it all to do in the second half.

HT

Half time: Scotland 7 – 10 Italy

Scotland win a penalty right out in front of the posts on the 22, Italy didn’t roll out from the tackle, and with seconds remaining in the half, Scotland have a choice to make.

We’re waiting on that decision because Malcolm is down receiving treatment. The good news is that she is okay, and that Scotland will kick to the corner for the last roll of the dice this half.

The lineout is good and the ball comes out from the back as the Scots go side to side looking for an answer. It’s lost forward in the melee and Italy clear to end the half.

38'

Scotland wrestling back control

A cross kick from Thomson almost falls into the hands of Lloyd, but it just slips through, leaving Italy with a scrum on halfway with 5 minutes left in the half.

Italy win the scrum and kick over the top to the waiting hands of Lloyd, who beats two and wins back the metres lost, with interest.

Scotland keep the ball well, looking to end the half on a high, but a stabbed kick through from Rollie just rolls once too far and goes into touch halfway between the 50m line and the 22.

33'

Scotland get a let off

Italy scythe through Scotland’s defence through a Emma Stevanin-Beatrice Rigoni combination, reaching all the way into the 22.

Phases are piling up now, but they eventually get caught holding on in the tackle and Scotland get a let off.

25'

TRY Italy – Muzzo

Brebner-Holden’s substitution is final as she’s failed the HIA.

It’s loose in the midfield for Scotland at the moment as it’s knocked on by Bonar, giving Italy a chance to set something up from the scrum.

And indeed they do – they go left and fast, dragging defenders as they go. Sillari beats one Scot and reaches the 22, opting to offload to winger Muzzo, who runs in untouched to the try line for the visitors’ second. Sillari takes too long with her conversion though and even though it passes through the posts, it’s chalked off. (Scotland 7 – 10 Italy, 30mins)

25'

TRY Italy – Sgorbini

A raking Thomson kick puts the Italians on the back foot and they hurriedly clear into touch just outside their 22, gifting Scotland another chance at a set piece.

They win a penalty from the lineout and they’ll look to the corner for another rumble. It comes off the back and through the hands to captain Rachel Malcolm and Sarah Bonar. The second phase goes to the hands of Orr but she can’t hold on and it goes forward.

Italy clear and get good purchase, leading to a charged down Scotland clearance falling kindly for the visitors. They pop it over the top and catch Scotland holding on inside their 22.

Italy now opt for the corner and rumble towards the line. They get to the 5m line before popping it to Francesca Sgorbini, who dives over from close range to open the scoring for Italy.

Michela Sillari takes the conversion, but it goes off to the right. (Scotland 7 – 5 Italy, 25 mins)

17'

Italy nearly score

Italy almost strike right back, with overlapping runs dragging Scots out of position and the visitors advancing down the field.

What would have been a final pass going to the hands of winger Aura Muzzo, but it fell short, and the winger stooped to grab the ball, but knocked on.

Brebner-Holden has gone off for Caity Mattinson, it looks to be for a HIA.

14'

TRY SCOTLAND! Chloe Rollie

The lineout drive is good and Scotland rumble towards the line. Leia Brebner Holden pulls it from the back of the maul before flicking it to Nelson, who makes metres before a clever pass to Chloe Rollie, who is in space.

She darts past one, two would-be tacklers, before crashing over for Scotland’s first try! A well worked set piece play for the hosts pays dividends.

Nelson’s conversion is good too, so the hosts take a seven-point lead. (Scotland 7 – 0 Italy, 14 mins)

11'

Scotland in the ascendency

A promising counter strike from Italy is held up and the ball is unplayable, giving the turnover to Scotland. Good defence there from centre partners Orr and Thomson.

Italy are running the ball absolutely straight and with real venom and aggression.

A penalty for offside is given and Scotland advance further into Italian territory, just outside the 22.

8'

Scrum packs down for Scotland

Italy again give up possession for holding on in the tackle, but Nelson’s kick can’t find touch. Italy respond from within their half through powerful surges down the middle.

Scrum half Sofia Stefan puts it high but it doesn’t go far and it’s cleaned up easily by the Scots. A knock on in the build up gives a scrum to Scotland.

1'

Opening exchanges

Lisa Thomson gets us underway, Scotland playing left to right in this first half. Thomson goes high and left, and it’s brought down safely by the Italians.

A cheeky chip over the top by 9 is safely gathered by Emma Orr and Scotland go on the attack through Rhona Lloyd down the right hand side.

After being forced back for a few phases, Helen Nelson opts to put boot to ball to clear.

4'

Scotland penalty

First penalty of the game goes the way of Scotland for Evie Gallagher’s jackal just outside the home side’s 22.

Nelson boots it away downfield for the first set piece of the match.