Scotland desire new dawn after Edoardo Gori leads Italy to Six Nations win

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/mar/01/scotland-edoardo-gori-italy-six-nations

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Any defeat in any competition makes waking on Monday morning a dark experience. Scotland, after a third straight loss, will open their eyes and not know whether it is night or day. For Peter Horne it may feel that dawn will never break.

Italy stole all the sunshine, pouring joy over themselves in celebration of their first win of 2015 – only their second in their last 15 Tests and only their second away from home in the Six Nations in 15 years.

Edoardo Gori, 24 and winning his 40th cap, played with huge authority. He talked incessantly and played fluently, the galley master setting the beat for the slave forwards. This was a victory born of coordinated labour up front.

At the front end of the game the pack kept Italy in contention, responding immediately to the gifting of a try to Mark Bennett, who picked off Kelly Haimona’s telegraphed pass to Sergio Parisse in midfield and ran clear. Scotland at that stage led 10-0 and were bright and at ease with the handling game managed by Horne at outside-half.

Italy, however, struck back almost from the restart, winning a lineout through George Biagi and driving for the line. Josh Furno, towering throughout – all bar an attempted long pass to Michele Visentin, a high projectile that sailed into the stands – scored at the end of the collective surge. It was a taste of what was to seal the game at its distant end.

In between Italy’s first try and the closing chapter, Scotland seemed to be in control. They could not score a second try but they kept totting up the penalties: two more in the first half; a fourth after an hour that put them four points in front. They kept Italy confined to a strange place, the 20-metre gap between the 10-metre lines, too far out for any passing game to be menacing, let alone the largely mechanical thrusts of the visitors.

Giovanbattista Venditti’s try, meanwhile, was anything but mechanical. The wing chased Haimona’s shot at goal more out of duty than hope the ball might go close enough to hit a post – Hamona is not the most accurate kicker the game has ever seen – but caught it one-handed behind his back when the ball did precisely that. He then rolled it around the back of the upright before dabbing it down on the line. It was a remarkable try but Italy were still four points adrift going into the final quarter.

Their pack then powered forward with their maul. They heaved at the scrum. Scotland held out. Geoff Cross came on and the home pack not only resisted again but won a penalty. All Horne now had to do was find touch. He missed.

Back came Italy and two yellow cards later – to Ben Toolis and Hamish Watson on their debuts – Scotland finally conceded a penalty try when the last maul could be stopped only illegally. The curtains parted for Italy and sunlight poured in; they remain tightly closed for Scotland.

Scotland Hogg; Seymour, Bennett (Scott, 67), Dunbar, Lamont; Horne (Tonks, 78), Laidlaw (capt, Hidalgo-Clyne, 76), Dickinson (Grant, 67), Ford (Brown, 68), Murray (Cross, 74), Swinson (Toolis, 68), J Gray, Harley, Cowan, Beattie (Watson, 50).

Try Bennett. Con Laidlaw. Pens Laidlaw 4.

Italy McLean; Visentin (Bisegni, 68), Morisi, Bacchin, Venditti; Haimona (Allan, 44), Gori; Agüero (De Marchi, 57), Ghiraldini (Manici, 68), Chistolini (Cittadini, 57), Biagi (Fuser, 67), Furno, Minto, Favaro (Vunisa, 61), Parisse (capt).

Tries Furno, Venditti, penalty try. Cons Haimona, Allan. Pen Haimona.

Referee G Clancy (Ire). Att 62,188.