Italy win their first Six Nations away victory

Article by Alan Smart in Scotland - Rugby supporting Italians the world over were celebrating this weekend as The Azzuri recorded its first ever win on UK soil, putting Scotland to the sword 37-17 in a thrilling encounter at Murrayfield on Saturday,24th February.

But no one was celebrating more than Michael Lemitti, a Scots born third generation Scots-Italian Fish and Chip shop owner from Falkirk, as he shared the moment with, not just 12,000 Italians who had flow in from Italy, but with another 3,000 Scots-Italians who had travelled by car, train and in some cases on foot to be there. Michael, together with his sister Irene Vannuci and brother in law Liviano Vannuici ,( President of the ex pats association Lucchese del Mondo, Lucca Province Tuscany), and Michael’s close friend Leo Campana, (an Irvine lad who now runs a hotel in Barga, “the most Scottish town in Italy”) were dressed to kilt.

Not only were they sporting Azzuri scarves and flags, but they were in full highland dress – but with a difference. Because the tartan was their own creation, the National Italian Tartan, designed and patented by Michael in 2004, and increasingly sported by the icons of modern day Italy from Paulo Maldini to Rino Gattuso , and by modern day Scots icons such Paulo Nuntini and Daniella Nardini.

Guests of Michael, as a thank you for their involvement in Scotland Week 2006, which Michael organised in Barga in August 2006, were Falkirk web designer Alan Smart and Alloa speciality export trader Anne Scagill. The week – which included a week long Scottish market a fashion show it Tartan at its centre and debut Italian performance by Paisley pop sensation Paulo Nutini – was great success and highlighted the story of the 30,000 strong Scots-Italian community, Scotland’s oldest “ethnic minority” and arguably its most successful.

Michael Lemetti said: “As a supporter of the Tartan Army I know what it is like to win as the underdog. Today the Azurri, a few years ago a Rugby minnow, came to Murrayfield and taught Scotland a lesson in Rugby. But my fellow Scots taught the world a lesson on how to lose with honour and my many Italian friends will forever remember how Scots fans stayed in their thousand to cheer they team tha had just beaten them. Onward to Bari next month when I hope the boot will be on the other foot – a last minute dodgy penalty winner slotted home by Chris Boyd will do me nicely!”

Alan Smart said: “ To see the joy on the faces of my Scots-Italian friends and the thousand of Italians who had travelled from Italy as their beloved Azzuri ran around Murrayfield for a well deserved lap of honour, was for me a real privilege. For the first time in my life I was glad Scotland had lost”.

Anne Scagell said: “It was delightful if odd experience. One minute my friend Michael was telling me about his planned trip to Bari next month with the Tartan Army, the next he was on his feet cheering yet another try for the Italian rugby team against Scotland! But is was great moment and I was glad to be at the heart of things, one of the many Scotland fans who stayed on to applaud the Italian team and share their joy this historic day for Italian Rugby”.

Scotland Week 2007 is already being planned, which will be expanded beyond Barga to include the entire Province of Lucca, Tuscany from where close to half of today’s Scots-Italians originate and regularly holiday.

Famous Scots-Italians include: Paulo Nutini, Daniella Nardini, Tom Conti, Armando Iannuci, Ronnie Ancona, Nicola Benedetti. Ken Stott ( Sicillian Mother), Richard Demarco, Mario Conti (Archdiocese of Glasgow). Lou Macari, Dario Franchetti, Joe Beltrami, Elish Angiolini, Sergio Casci, and Peter Capaldi

For More Information contact: Alan Smart, Stirling and Stirling email alans For more background info Scotland Week, Italy, 2007 and the Italian Community in Scotland in general visit http://www.scotlandinbarga.com/

Final score: Scotland 17-37 Italy

80 mins: FINAL SCORE Scotland 17-37 Italy
The referee blows the whistle and it’s all over. The Italians are in raptures as they clinch their first ever Six Nations away victory.

“It’s a sad, day for Scottish rugby.”
BBC rugby commentator Andy Nicol

“Italy played some intelligent rugby, they absorbed some pressure, made Scotland give away penalties and Troncon came up with the winning try.”
BBC rugby pundit Gregor Townsend

78 mins: Scotland keep plugging away and get to within a yard or two of Italy’s line as Gonzalo Canale is sin-binned.

75 mins: TRY Scotland 17-37 Italy
Italy hammer away at Scotland’s line and eventually experienced scrum-half Alessandro Troncon engineers the move over the line and comes up with the score. Andrea Scanavacca converts.

71 mins: PENALTY Scotland 17-30 Italy
Scotland give away another unforgiveable penalty, given their plight, when Sean Lamont handles in the ruck. A bit of back-chat sees Italy gain another 10 yards and Andrea Scanavacca carefully slots it between the posts.

68 mins: Italy win another kickable penalty after a rolling maul but Scotland are let off the hook when a bit of illegal footwork on the deck reverses the decision.

65 mins: PENALTY Scotland 17-27 Italy
Italy have a series of attacking scrums on Scotland’s line and eventually win a penalty. Unlike Scotland, they immediately point at the posts and Andrea Scanavacca bags the three points. Rory Lawson replaces Chris Cusiter at scrum-half for Scotland.

60 mins: TRY Scotland 17-24 Italy
Sport has a funny old way of panning out doesn’t it! Scotland skipper Chris Paterson, for so long the villain of the piece, surges through a gap on the blind-side and hares 40m to score under the Italian posts before adding the conversion himself.

58 mins: “I wasn’t privy to the game-plan before but I’d be staggered if the Scottish gameplan was to turn down easy penalties in front of the posts. When they look back at this they will rue the missed penalties.
BBC rugby commentator Andy Nicol.

56 mins: Italy are penalised again for collapsing the scrum but Chris Paterson opts for another scrum. But when the ball comes out, Scotland infringe and another chance for points slips away

54 mins: Scotland are enjoying their fair share of possession but they are struggling to make significant inroads into Italy, despite the crowd rediscovering their voice to roar them on. A penalty comes and skipper Chris Paterson again turns down a guaranteed three points. Scotland win a five-metre scrum.

50 mins: Scotland’s heckles are up as they chase an attacking kick deep behind Italian lines. But Italy claim the line-out ball and clear.

49 mins: A bit of good, old-fashioned argy-bargy breaks out, but it’s soon broken up. That’s on the pitch, by the way.

47 mins: Scotland eschew another penalty as Chris Cusiter scampers forward from a quick tap.

43 mins: Phil Godman slips through a tiny gap in the Italian back-line and offloads to full-back Marcus Di Rollo in space, but Scotland are called back for a forward pass, to the disappointment of the home crowd.

41 mins: Scotland kick off the second half as Murrayfield holds its collective breath, hoping that fortunes can be reversed. 40 mins: PENALTY Scotland 10-24
Scotland get a penalty and the crowd screams at their side to kick for goal. It’s 36m out but right in front and Chris Paterson strokes it over as the half-time whistle goes. 36 mins: Scotland’s Chris Paterson again ignores a penalty chance to kick the ball into the left corner, hoping for the bigger reward of a try. Italy turn it over and clear their lines. “I sound like a stuck record but Chris Paterson, statistically, is the best kicker in world rugby right now and they should have taken the points when they were on offer.”
BBC rugby commentator Andy Nicol 33 mins: Murrayfield is still like a morgue, barring sporadic shouts and boos and some Italian singing. “My goodness, it does still seem like a massive Italian mountain to climb.”
BBC rugby commentator Andrew Cotter 28 mins: Scotland coach Frank Hadden grabs skipper Chris Paterson for a quick chat. Crisis talks the politicians would call it. Simon Taylor’s sin-bin period is over and at least they didn’t concede while he was off, barring the initial penalty. 23 mins: Scotland skipper Chris Paterson again turns down a kickable penalty to opt for the corner. But points is what they need.

19 mins: PENALTY Scotland 7-24 Italy
Scotland are under pressure on their own line but they manage to snuff out the initial attack. But their day gets worse when forward Simon Taylor is sin-binned for slowing the ball down. Andrea Scanavacca slots over a penalty.

14 mins: TRY Scotland 7-21 Italy
Scotland manage to steady their rapidly sinking ship for a few minutes and to their surprise, centre Rob Dewey makes the most of the referee getting in the way to sneak through the Italian line.

He can’t quite believe he’s got away with it and almost doesn’t touch it down before he’s tackled. But fortunately he manages to drop to the floor to register Scotland’s first points and give his side a flimsy life-line. Chris Paterson converts.

7 mins: TRY Scotland 0-21 Italy
Outrageous, this is unbelievable. Boos are ringing around the ground because Chris Cusiter has just thrown another interception pass and Italian wing Kaine Robertson has scampered home. Andrea Scanavacca converts.

3 mins: TRY Scotland 0-14 Italy
Scotland are stunned. Murrayfield can’t quite believe what is going on. Scrum-half Chris Cusiter gifts a short pass to Italian fly-half Andrea Scanavacca, who romps home unchallenged for a second score. Scanavacca converts.

1 min: TRY Scotland 0-7 Italy
Italy kick-off to Scotland who are sporting an unfamiliar new change strip of white with yellow shoulder flashes. But disaster! Instantly, Scottish fly-half Phil Godman tries to chip over Italy’s back line and open-side Mauro Bergamasco charges it down and gathers to score under the posts. Andrea Scanavacca converts.

1456 GMT: Italy run out first to generous applause before Scotland storm out to a huge roar from their own Tartan Army. The Azzurri’s anthem is first and the players and a few thousand fans belt it out with gusto. Flower of Scotland follows, and virtually the entire stadium joins in.

1455 GMT: OK, here we go. Strap yourselves in, buckle yourselves up, go to the pub, stay at home, stockpile your food and drink…whatever. You’ve five minutes left. Time to get ready. This is it. This is “Super Saturday”.

sneaking feeling England might win this. It all depends on how the line-out goes. If they get enough ball, they could do it.”
Brian Moore, BBC rugby commentator, Dublin “Brian O’Driscoll is going to challenge the axis between Jonny Wilkinson and Andy Farrell all afternoon. Ireland to post a decent win.”
Keith Wood, BBC rugby commentator, Dublin 1345: More and more fans are walking past the war memorial outside Murrayfield, where, so far, there is no sign of the forecast rain and wind. Italy have beaten Scotland twice since joining the Six Nations in 2000 and are seeking their first ever away win in Edinburgh. 1315: All quiet inside Murrayfield apart from a few officials milling about but outside the stadium fans are now beginning to gather. And there is the first group of fans wearing kilts, despite the chilly temperatures in Edinburgh. 1300: Two hours to go until the first of the day’s three Six Nations matches between Scotland and Italy gets under way.

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One Response to “Italy win their first Six Nations away victory”

Comments

1. Zambo Mar 01 2007 / 8pm

   I am a wee bit confused. I met these people in Barga last August and they looked for all the world like Scots in Italy, now they look like Italians in Scotland! Question, where do these people live?

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