ROME, Italy: A Duncan Weir drop goal in the final minute of play gave Scotland a stunning 21-20 victory over Italy at Rome’s Olympic Stadium in an enthralling Six Nations clash yesterday.
The Scottish victory will ease fears of the dreaded wooden spoon while the reverse can be said for Italy, who have no points after three matches.
Scotland, claiming their first win of the campaign after heavy defeats to Ireland and England, trailed 13-3 at half-time after an insipid display by both sides lit up only by the incisive Tommaso Allan.
However, the visitors emerged a different side after the interval and came fighting back to lead the Italians 18-13 with just over 10 minutes to play.
Joshua Furno pulled Italy level minutes later with Luciano Orquera converting to give Italy a 20-18 lead and setting up a thrilling finish.
After the final scrum of the match Scotland got the ball to Weir, who took his chance from 30 metres to stun a packed stadium and send the travelling Tartan Army support into raptures.
Despite a bright start that suggested Scotland would make up for the humiliating 20-0 loss to England a fortnight ago at Murrayfield, Allan, a former Scotland Under-20 star, had a superb first-half with two penalties, a try and the conversion.
An Allan penalty from 30m out gave the hosts a 3-0 lead on 14 minutes, but after a spell of Scotland pressure earned a penalty outside Italy’s 22, Greig Laidlaw’s effort spun between the posts to allow Scotland to pull level.
Scotland paid the price for another infringement and this time Allan handed the Azzurri a 6-3 lead.
The hosts piled on the pressure at the other end and were rewarded after captain Sergio Parisse collected from a ruck and charged towards the try line where the ball found its way to Allan, who touched down close to the posts.
Allan made the easy conversion to give Italy a deserved half-time lead, but the Scots reduced the deficit five minutes after the break when Laidlaw hit an easy penalty.
Scotland took the game to Italy and shocked the Azzurri by taking a five-point lead with 13 minutes on the clock thanks to a brace of tries from centre Alex Dunbar.
Thiss lifted Scotland, but their joy lasted only briefly. A scintillating Italian offensive saw Furno level the scores nine minutes from the whistle.
The Olympic Stadium erupted when Orquera’s conversion gave the hosts a two-point lead to set up a thrilling finish. The crowd was shocked into silence in the final minute when a drive from Scotland put Weir into drop kick territory. – Sapa-AFP