Italy scored 21 unanswered points in a stunning comeback to secure a 31-29 victory over Scotland, but Gregor Townsend's hopes of making it to the men's Six Nations were severely dented.
Tries from Juan Ignacio Brex, Louis Riner and Stephen Varney contributed to the Azzurri's famous victory, with Paolo Garbisi and Martin Page-Lello adding to their scores from the tee.
Xander Fagerson, Kyle Steyn, Pierre Schoeman and Sam Skinner all moved to Scotland, who picked up two points from a shock defeat to Roma that could have ended their title race.
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This heartbreaking defeat in the Six Nations in the Eternal City is sure to heighten head coach enthusiasm for Townsend, five months after being eliminated from the World Cup in the group stages.
Italy were given a chance to get on the scoreboard just seconds into the game after Scotland were awarded a 22-point penalty immediately after kick-off. Garbisi watched the ball fall off the tee while the clock was running, but the flyhalf calmly hit the tee again and sent the kick between the posts.
However, Scotland quickly found their footing and took the lead in the sixth minute with Fagerson firing in a powerful shot from close range after continued pressure inside Italy's 22. Finn Russell scored.
Five minutes later, the visitors spread the ball down the right and Blair Kinghorn fed Stein, who passed two Italians and crossed the line. Russell was converted again.
In the 15th minute, scrum-half Paige Lillo sent a deft kick into the air, prompting a quick reaction from the Azzurri, with center Brex gleefully racing just to the left of the post. Garbisi was converted.
Shortly after Russell took a penalty from close range, Scotland scored their third try of the game in the 28th minute when Schoeman finished after receiving a feed from George Turner's driving maul. Russell's conversion was way off.
Italy finished the first half well, with Garbisi kicking several penalties and Pagerello firing on target from near the halfway line, reducing the lead to 22-16 at the interval.
Scotland thought they had extended their advantage two minutes into the second period when scrum-half George Horne, making his first start since the 2019 World Cup, darted out and released him following some excellent play from Huw Jones. However, Schoeman's play later wiped out that record. He was adjudged to have committed a foul in the build-up.
Propp's unnecessary indiscretion turned out to be very significant. Just two minutes later, Raina, the son of former Australian international Michael and making his first appearance, ran into Garbisi's kick-through and crossed the goal line, bringing Italy within a point. Garbisi had a chance to put his team ahead and his attempt to convert hit the post.
Scotland found themselves in trouble in the 57th minute when Italy moved forward, but substitute scrumhalf Bernie found a gap between Andy Christie and Jack Dempsey and squeezed in. This time Garbisi aimed for goal.
Garbisi then converted a big penalty from long range to give the hosts a nine-point lead with seven minutes left and put the Scots in a desperate situation.
His replacement Lock Skinner, who had been denied the winning try against France a month earlier, pushed in with two minutes left and Russell converted to bring the Scots back within two points and set up a tense finish.
But Townsend's side were unable to convert the second goal, and while the Azzurri celebrated a rare and deserved victory, the Scottish players remained in a promising campaign in which much was reduced to rubble in Rome. I fell to my knees in great despair.
team
Italy: 15 Ange Capozzo, 14 Louis Rainer, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Monti Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Martin Pagerello, 8 Ross Vincent, 7 Michele Ramaro (c), 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Luzza, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Danilo Fischetti
Replacement: 16 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17 Spaniard Mirco, 18 Giosue Girocchi, 19 Andrea Zambonin, 20 Lorenzo Cannone, 21 Stephen Varney, 22 Leonardo Marin, 23 Federico Mori
Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Kyle Steyn, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Cameron Redpath, 11 Duane van der Merwe, 10 Finn Russell (cc), 9 George Horne, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Rory Durge (cc), 6 Andy Christie, 5 Scott Cummings, 4 Grant Gilchrist, 3 Xander Fagerson, 2 George Turner, 1 Pierre Schumann
Replacement: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Elliott Miller-Mills, 19 Sam Skinner, 20 Jamie Ritchie, 21 Matt Fagerson, 22 Ali Price, 23 Kyle Lowe
Referee: Angus Gardner (Australia)
Assistant referee: Carl Dixon (England), Adam Leal (England)
TMO: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)
read more: 2025 Six Nations fixtures confirmed: kick-off time, venue, dates and more
