A last-gasp penalty try secured Italy only the second away RBS 6 Nations victory in their history as they gained revenge over Scotland at BT Murrayfield.
In a battle between the two winless sides of this year’s Championship the Italians scored three tries to Scotland’s one but Greig Laidlaw’s accuracy from the kicking tee had looked like securing the hosts a win.
But with replacement Ben Toolis in the sin bin and the clock ticking down a maul directed by captain and talisman Sergio Parisse was illegally dragged to the ground just in front of the try line.
Referee George Clancy did not hesitate to award the penalty try and Tommaso Allan added the extras to seal a 22-19 victory that goes a long way to making up for the heartbreak of 12 months ago when Duncan Weir dropped a late goal to seal a Scottish victory in Rome.
Mark Bennett’s interception score early on and three Laidlaw penalties could have opened Scotland a first-half lead but they were pegged back by tries from Josh Furno and Giovanbattista Venditti.
And in an arm wrestle after the interval a fourth Laidlaw penalty put the hosts four points clear at 19-15.
But Italy refused to give up and eventually battled their way to their first RBS 6 Nations win since 2013 and only their second ever on their travels.
Their first also came in Scotland back in 2007, that day they made a blistering start and had scored three tries before seven minutes were on the clock.
But in 2015 at BT Murrayfield they made a rather less auspicious start, conceding a penalty at the very first ruck of the game to leave Laidlaw a simple penalty to open the scores.
An early three points was a good way to settle any Scottish nerves and while the scrum was frustratingly scrappy throughout, Vern Cotter’s side showed great confidence with ball in hand, Alex Dunbar’s break down the right from their own 22 a sign of their attacking intentions.
However it was an Italian mistake rather than Scottish brilliance that created the game’s first try, Haimona’s errant pass easily picked off by Bennett and the centre streaked clear for a simple try, his first ever for his country.
Laidlaw added the extras and without having really had to land a proper punch, the hosts were 10-0 in front.
But any fears of a Scottish onslaught were immediately proven to be premature as Italy summoned an instant response from a rolling maul that drove lock Furno over the try line.
Haimona’s struggles from the kicking tee continued – the fly-half did not land a single kick at Twickenham in the last round – as he failed to add the extras but at 10-5 the visitors had a foothold in the game.
Peter Horne was impressing in the early stages at fly-half in the place of the suspended Finn Russell, the Glasgow playmaker releasing the recalled Tommy Seymour and the winger earned his side a penalty that Laidlaw slotted to open up an eight-point lead.
But again Scotland immediately switched off and an accidental offside from the re-start gave Haimona a chance to close the gap and this time he bisected the posts to make it 13-8.
Laidlaw hit back with a penalty of his own but still Cotter’s troops could not shake their opponents off and just before the interval it was the Azzurri who hit back, although there was a great deal of luck involved in the score.
Haimona’s curling penalty effort cannoned back off the post but winger Venditti was rewarded for his tireless chase as he leapt above Laidlaw to claim the rebound and dab down at the base of the post.
Haimona added the simple conversion meaning the two sides went in at the break with Scotland only 16-15 to the good.
The opening exchanges of the second half were riddled with errors as, despite the close scoreline, both sides continued to show admirable, albeit somewhat aimless, ambition.
Haimona limped off with an injury to be replaced by Allan at fly-half and when the Italian scrum won a kickable penalty they should have taken the lead for the first time.
But Allan, a former Scotland Under-20s star, pushed his effort to the right of the posts and with the hour mark approaching the hosts redoubled their efforts.
Stuart Hogg was denied a try by a forward pass from Sean Lamont but after a period of sustained pressure in the Italian 22 they did win a penalty that Laidlaw slotted to make it 19-15.
But as the game moved into the closing stages Italy came mightily close to a try that would have sealed their first RBS 6 Nations win since 2013.
Successive attacking five-metre scrums were repelled by Scotland but Horne’s penalty clearance missed touch and the Azzurri had one last chance, a driving maul earning another penalty and putting Toolis in the sin bin.
And with a man advantage the dam eventually broke as Clancy awarded a penalty try for another maul that was dragged down by Hamish Watson who also saw yellow to rub salt in the Scottish wounds.
Allan added the extras but the victory was already secured as emotional celebrations broke out all over the field for Jacques Brunel’s side.
