Italy 18
\nScotland 15<\/p>\n
ITALY HEAPED THE pressure on Scotland coach Gregor Townsend on Saturday, running out deserved 18-15 winners in their Six Nations opener played in atrocious wet conditions in Rome.<\/p>\n
The hosts led throughout the match, taking the initiative from the start with two tries inside the opening 15 minutes.<\/p>\n
Townsend, who had his head in his hands at the final whistle, has had his future cast into doubt after a series of poor results.<\/p>\n
Italy landed the first blow in the seventh minute with Louis Lynagh running on to touch down Juan Ignacio Brex\u2019s sublime grubber kick, which caught out the Scottish defence.<\/p>\n
Centre Brex let out a huge roar of joy and celebrated with a clash of chests with scrum-half Alessandro Fusco.<\/p>\n
Paolo Garbisi\u2019s conversion attempt from wide on the right hit the post and bounced away.<\/p>\n
Lynagh, the son of former Australia great Michael, played a crucial role in the second try, brilliantly taking an up and under, besting Scottish fullback Tom Jordan in the duel.<\/p>\n
The ball was worked out to the left wing where centre Tommaso Menoncello ran in unopposed.<\/p>\n
Garbisi made no mistake this time round for a 12-0 lead in the 14th minute.<\/p>\n
The Scots knew from previous bitter experience that a 12-point lead is not impossible to overhaul \u2014 they had led Italy by that much only to lose two years ago.<\/p>\n
Scotland, decked out in a striking pink strip, brightened their mood when No.8 Jack Dempsey landed a counter-punch, beating two defenders to go over, as Finn Russell converted to reduce the arrears to 12-7 in the 25th minute.<\/p>\n
Italy weathered that storm and Garbisi added a penalty as half-time loomed for 15-7.<\/p>\n
The rain had stopped when they re-emerged for the second-half, although it was only a brief hiatus.<\/p>\n
Almost immediately from the restart, the Scots were fortunate to escape further punishment.<\/p>\n
Menoncello skipped through the puddles, his boots sending rain spraying to left and right, only to be brought to ground with the tryline in sight.<\/p>\n
That bought the Scots some respite, and they pulled within five points when Russell slotted over a penalty for 15-10 in the 46th minute.<\/p>\n
But Garbisi soon restored the eight-point gap with a penalty.<\/p>\n
Scotland\u2019s catalogue of errors continued unabated as Russell\u2019s kick-off went out on the full and then the visitors conceded a penalty at the ensuing scrum.<\/p>\n
Just when it looked like the Scots might reduce the deficit \u2014 after being awarded another penalty \u2014 it was flipped on its head with Ben O\u2019Keeffe waving a yellow card at replacement hooker George Turner for foul play.<\/p>\n
However, with just over 12 minutes remaining, smiles returned to Scottish faces as George Horne raced over to touch down in the corner for his 12th try for his country.<\/p>\n
Russell was unable to land the conversion from wide out on the right, leaving the visitors trailing by just three points.<\/p>\n
However, despite being deep in Italian territory in the final phase of play, Scotland were penalised and the hosts raised their arms after a deserved victory.<\/p>\n