When it rains, it pours. For Scotland, another Six Nations is over before it’s even begun — and what a way to lose it, too: in the midst of a famous Roman deluge, falling to two early scores in a miserable opening quarter. Curtains of rain sheeted down as Italy laid waste to Caledonian dreams. Pathetic fallacy? It’s certainly pathetic.
The game was grim from the outset. Scotland spilled the ball from their first attack and, seconds later, Italy scored from theirs. Louis Lynagh cottoned onto a smart grubber from Juan Ignacio Brex to touch down. Within minutes, Tommaso Menoncello bladed through Scotland’s horribly exposed right wing to make it 10-0. Menoncello is one of the stars of a much-improved Italian side; they used to be perennial wooden-spoon candidates, but no longer. Under the stewardship of Gonzalo Quesada, they have a bite and a swerve that has eluded their opponents of late. On Saturday, Italy were weakened by several key injuries, while Scotland, save a knock to Liam McConnell, boasted a clean bill of health. Yet, by the end of the first half, the Scots looked like ailing men, clubbing limply into collisions and depleted by the downpour and the Italians’ belligerence.
The torrential rain worsened — the pitch looked as though it had been ripped to shreds. However, both teams play in the same weather. One team, crucially, could scrum. The same team could secure their own lineout ball — in that department, Andrea Zambonin and Niccolo Cannone excelled. Danilo Fischetti and Simone Ferrari laid waste to the Scottish front three. Monty Ioane claimed high balls and looked to dagger his way through the Italians. Scotland had no answer.
It is well known that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Every Scotland fan has been driven to insanity by that measure — watching Gregor Townsend’s team repeatedly fail to enact the same sorry strategies, flounder in the same familiar ways, and promise the same improvements — an eighty-minute performance, an ability to contend, a functioning lineout— that never come. Scotland being Scotland, they still found a chance to contrive some late agony, working through phase after phase and breaking into the Italian twenty-two, before replacement Max Williamson was held up with the clock in the red. Yet again, so near, yet so far away.
Although, had they really been so near? From Townsend, there was no gameplan — just the sight of Ben White and Finn Russell sending the ball into the heavens. Russell, as ever, kicked well. It wasn’t a day for the backs, and it didn’t help that Italy, in the likes of Manuel Zuliani and Michele Lamaro, posed an abundant jackal threat. Additionally, Scotland’s reticence to carry into contact played into their strengths. Going through the phases threatened to work for them in the third quarter, before they inevitably, hopelessly, ceded momentum. There was one brief run from Jamie Dobie and another from Tom Jordan, however, there should have been more.
When Scotland did manage to string some phases together, they scored, with Jack Dempsey showing impressive footwork. Despite this, the Scottish gameplan had looked nullified long before and their attacking patterns were keenly countered by the Italians.
There were some lamentable individual performances. Ewan Ashman couldn’t throw a lineout to save his life. Inside the opening ten minutes, Scotland squandered two such set-pieces in Italy’s corner. Townsend turned to George Turner — who barely features for his club, Harlequins — but he was almost as atrocious. When the visitors manufactured a golden attacking opportunity, and won a penalty in front of the posts, it was called back for a high tackle by Turner. He was yellow-carded. So poor was Ashman’s performance that both hookers stayed on the sidelines.
Whenever momentum came Scotland’s way, they were called back by referee Ben O’Keefe. A familiar experience, and another sign of the madness of Scotland fans. The only note of vim came with George Horne, the snappy scrum-half who scored Scotland’s second try, sliding over in the corner. At least he looked animated, jumping and jinking as Scotland went through their final motions. Horne plays for Glasgow Warriors, a side with this kind of hunger and energy. They are coached by Franco Smith. Could he take this team further?
Townsend will take away his positives — he always seems to find some. But what’s the point of ‘work-ons’ when his Scotland team is deteriorating? They looked mentally shot after their late loss to New Zealand last autumn, leading to their ensuing capitulation to Argentina. They are better than this. There is so much talent in this team. If they never take home a championship, it will be a generation-defining failure.
Italy deserved this win. They face a bruised Ireland next week with Quesada knowing that there will be more to come. And for Scotland? England to come — always a do-or-die. Beyond that, what? Fourth, again? Fifth? Let’s face facts. Scotland’s Six Nations is a write-off now. Might as well ditch Townsend and be done with it.
“Murrayfield Autumn 2017” by Calum404 is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.