Andrea Marcato’s late drop-goal secured a first 2008 Six Nations victory for Italy at the expense of Scotland.

Scotland led 17-10 at half-time after converted tries from Allister Hogg and Mike Blair cancelled out an early penalty try for Italy.

Gonzalo Canale’s score from Sergio Parisse’s interception levelled for Italy to set up a thrilling finish.

After a penalty apiece, Marcato struck at the death but Scotland avoided the Wooden Spoon on points difference.

Scotland started nervously with Italy dominating the early exchanges through a combination of a solid scrum and the willingness to run the ball out of trouble.

Italy’s first opportunity of points came courtesy of a weak Scottish scrum. The ball spilled out to Italian scrum-half Simon Picone, who kicked on and collected, only for Andrea Masi to waste the opportunity with a poor pass.

But just a minute later another Scottish scrum felt the full force of the Italian front-row and prop Euan Murray was penalised for bringing down his opposite number.

Marcato missed the penalty but made no mistake with a conversion five minutes later after Italy’s first try of the game.

Scotland were penalised at a scrum, Italy opted to pack down again and the second time the visitors offended, referee Nigel Owens awarded the penalty try.

To their credit, Scotland hit back on 20 minutes through Hogg.

Andrew Henderson looked to have wasted a glorious opportunity to cross in the corner when he slipped with only Picone to beat. But the ball was recycled and quick Scottish hands out wide put in Hogg.

Chris Paterson sent over the conversion but passed on the kicking duties to Dan Parks a few minutes later for a long-range penalty which the Glasgow man landed.

Marcato levelled the score with another effort from distance but in half-time injury time Blair rounded off a fine first period when he picked up a loose ball in midfield to dive under the posts unchallenged.

Paterson converted to send Scotland into the break with a seven-point lead but Italy levelled the score on the hour mark after a cagey start to the second period.

Parisse intercepted Parks’s loose pass and sprinted almost the length of the pitch before passing inside to Canale to dive over.

Marcato sent over the extras as the Stadio Flaminio crowd sensed a first 2008 Six Nations victory.

The try not only galvanised the fans but it also reignited the Italian challenge as they went in search of the lead.

Italy went ahead through the boot of Marcato with 10 minutes remaining after Scotland had been penalised for offside.

But Paterson levelled with eight minutes to go to set up a grandstand finale in Rome.

Italy finished the stronger and worked Marcato into drop-goal position to seal the match with virtually the last kick of the game.

Despite the victory Italy still finished bottom of the table, but the fact mattered little to both players, management and supporters who celebrated jubilantly in Rome.

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Italy: Marcato, Robertson, Canale, Bergamasco, Galon, Masi, Picone, Lo Cicero, Ghiraldini, Castrogiovanni, del Fava, Bortolami, Sole, Zanni, Parisse.
Replacements: Travagli for Masi (61), Patrizio for Picone (63), Perugini for Lo Cicero (57), Ongaro for Ghiraldini (68), Nieto for Castrogiovanni (57). Not Used: Erasmus, Sgarbi.

Scotland: Southwell, Danielli, Webster, Morrison, Parks, Paterson, Blair, Jacobsen, Thomson, Murray, Hines, MacLeod, Strokosch, Hogg, Taylor.
Replacements: Henderson for Danielli (6), R. Lawson for Thomson (53), Smith for Murray (58), White for MacLeod (53), Brown for Hogg (71). Not Used: S. Lawson, Dickinson

Dan Parks returns at stand-off for Scotland’s final RBS Six Nations match in Italy following Nikki Walker’s withdrawal with an ankle injury.

 
Coach Frank Hadden has decided to move Chris Paterson, who started at 10 against Ireland and England, to wing.Centre Andrew Henderson comes onto the bench, while John Barclay and Ben Cairns also travelled to Rome.

Simon Danielli and Fergus Thomson were called up initially to replace injured duo Rory Lamont and Ross Ford.

Jason White, who began the campaign as captain, was again named among the replacements after the win over England.

And Sale hooker Scott Lawson was promoted to the bench to provide cover for Thomson.

Danielli will win his 15th cap, having appeared as a substitute against Wales earlier in the championship.

Hadden said: “Simon Danielli has played consistently well for some time now and I had no hesitation in giving him the chance to restart his international career.”

Thomson, who was a first-half replacement for Ford at the weekend, will be making his first start having previously featured seven times as a replacement.

“Fergus Thomson played really well when he came on against England,” added Hadden.

“He took his opportunity with both hands and thoroughly deserves his first start.”

Hadden is looking to build on the 15-9 victory against England, while Italy are without a win so far.

“Saturday was another indication of the progress we feel we have made,” said Hadden.

“After a very poor start to the Championship it’s vital we maintain that progression this weekend against a side that will represent a formidable challenge.”

Hadden had retained the five-two split between forwards and backs among the substitutes.

He explained: “We felt the impact made by the forward substitutes in the Calcutta Cup had a bearing on the outcome.

“We believe this is the right way to approach this game as well.”

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Scotland: Hugo Southwell (Edinburgh), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Simon Webster (Edinburgh), Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), Chris Paterson (Gloucester); Dan Parks (Glasgow), Mike Blair (Edinburgh, capt); Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Fergus Thomson (Glasgow), Euan Murray (Northampton), Nathan Hines (Perpignan), Scott MacLeod (Llanelli Scarlets), Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester), Allister Hogg (Edinburgh),Simon Taylor (Stade Francais)
Substitutes: Scott Lawson (Sale), Alasdair Dickinson (Gloucester), Craig Smith (Edinburgh), Jason White (Sale), Kelly Brown (Glasgow), Rory Lawson (Gloucester), Andrew Henderson (Glasgow Warriors).

Scotland have announced plans to play two summer Tests in Argentina.The Scots will take on the Pumas on 7 June in a provincial centre, with the second Test one week later, most likely in the capital, Buenos Aires.

Scotland, who last toured Argentina in 1994, lost 19-13 to the third-ranked nation in the world in the quarter-finals of the 2007 World Cup.

“Argentina will be a physically demanding tour,” said Scotland head coach Frank Hadden.

“We know from our most recent match against them in last October’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final we will need to be at our very best.”

Argentina were beaten 37-13 by eventual champions South Africa in the semi-finals before defeating hosts France 34-10 in the third-place play-off.

Winger Simon Danielli will make his first Scotland start in three years in the final Six Nations clash with Italy.
 
He replaces the injured Rory Lamont, while hooker Fergus Thomson comes in for his first Test start in place of Ross Ford, also hurt against England.

The rest of the side is unchanged, with Chris Paterson starting at fly-half and Jason White having to settle for a place among the replacements.

Sale hooker Scott Lawson is promoted to the bench to provide cover for Thomson.

Danielli will win his 15th cap, having appeared as a substitute against Wales earlier in the championship.

Head coach Frank Hadden said: “Simon Danielli has played consistently well for some time now and I had no hesitation in giving him the chance to restart his international career.”

Thomson, who was a first-half replacement for Ford at the weekend, will be making his first start having previously featured seven times as a replacement.

“Fergus Thomson played really well when he came on against England,” added Hadden.

“He took his opportunity with both hands and thoroughly deserves his first start.”

Hadden is looking to build on the 15-9 victory against England, while Italy are without a win so far.

“Saturday was another indication of the progress we feel we have made,” said Hadden.

“After a very poor start to the Championship it’s vital we maintain that progression this weekend against a side that will represent a formidable challenge.”

Hadden has retained the five-two split between forwards and backs among the substitutes.

He explained: “We felt the impact made by the forward substitutes in the Calcutta Cup had a bearing on the outcome.

“We believe this is the right way to approach this game as well.”

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Scotland: Hugo Southwell (Edinburgh), Simon Danielli (Ulster), Simon Webster (Edinburgh), Graeme Morrison (Glasgow Warriors), Nikki Walker (Ospreys), Chris Paterson (Gloucester), Mike Blair (Edinburgh, capt), Allan Jacobsen (Edinburgh), Fergus Thomson (Glasgow Warriors), Euan Murray (Northampton Saints), Nathan Hines (Perpignan), Scott MacLeod (Llanelli Scarlets), Alasdair Strokosch (Gloucester), Allister Hogg (Edinburgh),Simon Taylor (Stade Francais)
Substitutes: Scott Lawson (Sale Sharks), Alasdair Dickinson (Gloucester), Craig Smith (Edinburgh), Jason White (Sale Sharks), Kelly Brown (Glasgow Warriors), Rory Lawson (Gloucester), Dan Parks (Glasgow Warriors)
 

Scotland claimed their first Six Nations win of 2008 as they out-fought England in a grim battle at a wet and windy Murrayfield.

Chris Paterson’s kicks gave Scotland a deserved 9-3 lead at the break.

England’s solitary first-half points came from a Jonny Wilkinson penalty which saw him become the highest scorer in the history of Test rugby.

Two more penalties put Scotland 15-3 up and a brace of Wilkinson penalties was not enough for the hapless visitors.

The appalling conditions meant it was never likely to be a free-flowing affair and the main points of interest were the continued goal-kicking excellence of Paterson and Wilkinson.

Paterson landed four successful kicks and has now not missed in an astonishing 30 attempts at Test level, while Wilkinson moved clear of former world record holder Neil Jenkins to set a new mark of 1099 points.

The build-up to the match had been dominated by England coach Brian Ashton’s decision to axe 20-year-old Danny Cipriani from the team for disciplinary reasons.

And England’s off-field problems followed them onto the pitch as they failed to establish any dominance up front, struggled to control what possession they secured and looked bereft of ideas when put under pressure.

Scotland were limited in their approach but they put their bodies on the line and executed their game plan with far more conviction than England.

Iain Balshaw, who had originally been dropped to make way for Cipriani, started the game at full-back for England and the Gloucester player was predictably tested from the off after his shaky display under the high ball against France.

The first time Scotland fly-half Paterson received possession, he belted the ball into the heavens, but Balshaw proved equal to the task, taking a safe mark and clearing well.

Scotland took the lead when the metronomic Paterson landed his 27th successful kick in a row after nine minutes.

There was then a very nasty moment as Rory Lamont was knocked out when he collided with Balshaw’s knees as the pair converged on a kick ahead.

The Scotland winger was given oxygen as he was taken off on a stretcher and taken to hospital, but later reports said he was recovering well.

Scotland brought on Dan Parks at fly-half with the versatile Paterson moving onto the right wing.

The home side twice held firm after England tried to drive over through their forwards after kicking penalties into the corner.

Despite being repelled on those occasions the England pack briefly looked like it was gaining the upper hand with their superiority at a scrum earning them a penalty after 27 minutes which Wilkinson slotted to set the new record.

But Scotland came back into the game and two more penalties from Paterson gave the hosts a 9-3 lead at the break after 40 minutes of less than thrilling rugby.

The game had been as shocking as the weather but the Scots were thoroughly enjoying themselves and they went 15-3 up with a penalty apiece from Paterson and Parks in the 10 minutes after the re-start.

Neither side was creating much in attack but Scotland were managing to put England under lots of pressure with their defence as the visitors rapidly lost their discipline.

Just as they looked like taking charge, Scotland’s ill-discipline allowed Wilkinson, who had missed with a long-range effort in the first half, to land two penalties to cut the gap to six points.

With over 10 minutes remaining Ashton decided to remove Wilkinson, whose kicking out of hand had been very poor, and captain Phil Vickery from the fray.

Their withdrawal was a major success for Scotland and they wound down the clock with some ease to repeat their 2006 success and reclaim the Calcutta Cup.
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Scotland: Southwell; R Lamont, Webster, Morrison, Walker; Paterson, M Blair, (capt): Jacobsen, Ford, Murray, Hines, MacLeod, Strokosch, Taylor, Hogg.
Replacements: Thomson, Dickinson, Smith, White, Brown, Lawson, Parks.

England: Balshaw; Sackey, Noon, Flood, Vainikolo; Wilkinson, Wigglesworth; Easter, Lipman, Croft; Borthwick, Shaw; Vickery (capt), Mears, Sheridan.
Replacements: Chuter, Stevens, Kay, Narraway, Hodgson, Tait, Hodgson.