Rugby, Italy beats Scotland and breaks 11-year fast at the Olympic Stadium

ROME - The final whistle came at 17.04, minute 82.21 of a very intense match. At that moment a wall composed of 4,011 bricks, pardon: 4,011 days, fell. That's how long the Azzurri's fast in home Six Nations matches has lasted, the last victory in Rome having come on 16 March 2013 against Ireland. Eleven years without giving a joy to the Olimpico crowd.

Sporadic away victories - Edinburgh 2015 and Cardiff 2022 - had their weight, but heavy, heavy was also the absence of success at home. Well, now it is over: Italy 31 Scotland 29, after a first half ended 22-16 for the visitors. Who had so far expressed excellent rugby in this tournament, but were progressively silenced by a strong, determined, disciplined XV, brilliant when needed but above all exceptional in defence (210 tackles scored). And so 55,000 spectators - including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, who later came down to celebrate in the dressing room - were able to rejoice, while the other 15,000, who had come down from the north of Great Britain, had no choice but to recognise the merits of their opponents.

It was only at the start of the match that Scotland were superior, finding a goal of strength by Zander Fagerson and another, at the end of an insistent action by the three-quarters, scored by Steyn. After 12 minutes 3-14 for the visiting team, but the Azzurri had a first reaction, concretised in a goal by Brex (then voted man of the match) ready to collect in the middle of three Scots a clever kick by Page-Relo. They were still suffering from a place kick by the outstanding Russell and a Schoeman try just before the half-hour mark, the result of a collective push that could have caused concern and even a little discouragement. Instead Italy maintained their concentration, displaying some individuality (Menoncello and Niccolò Cannone, as well as the aforementioned Brex) and fighting with determination even on a high tempo. Two set-pieces, by Garbisi and the positive Page-Relo, brought ours closer to minus six.

A great end to the first half to boost hopes, which were reinforced in the fourth minute of the second half by the goal of newcomer Louis Lynagh (father Michael, world champion with Australia, and mother Isabella, from Treviso): this time the kick was by Garbisi and the blond three-quarter winger did not let himself be taken advantage of. Garbisi himself hit the post again, after the one that left us on 13-13 in France in the previous round, but by then Italy were close. Fierce on the attacks of the men (today) in white, who would eventually go 50 minutes without scoring. Much of the credit for the breakthrough, in the 57th minute, belonged to young No. 8 Ross Vintcent, capable of flying like a splinter through the defence, creating the conditions for Varney's goal. The Azzurri put terrible pressure on coach Greg Townsend's men (see for all a Capuozzo-Lynagh double tackle on Van der Merwe, the tournament's most powerful 'metaman') and also grew a lot at the scrum. On 33 minutes Garbisi capitalised on the opponents' difficulties with a kick.

But there was still suffering to come. From 31-22 to 31-29 for Skinner's goal, converted by Russell, with two minutes to go. All that remained was to get into the trenches, defending an interminable series of 24 phases with the ball in the visitors' hands. Until the 82.21 minute, the whistle of Australian referee Gardner and the tears of the protagonists of a long-awaited success.