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Hogg turns around his miserable championship and inspires Scotland to win in Rome

(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Stuart Hogg helped relieved some of the pressure on coach Gregor Townsend as his stunning solo try sent Scotland on their way to their first win of the Guinness Six Nations campaign.

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The new skipper has had a championship to forget so far after costly mistakes in the defeats to Ireland and England. But he went some way to atoning for those blunders as his 20th Test touch down opened the scoring in a 17-0 win in Rome.

The Dark Blues were again guilty of failing to take their chances but Chris Harris and Adam Hastings also got on the scoresheet at the Stadio Olimpico to give Townsend some respite after a bruising tournament overshadowed by the Finn Russell row.

That bust-up with Scotland’s star man, combined with last year’s early World Cup exit and six games without a win in the Six Nations, had placed the head coach under increasing scrutiny but his team will now welcome France to Murrayfield in a fortnight with confidence renewed after a deserved victory.

Scotland had failed to register a try in either of their two opening defeats despite having more than enough chances. And the travelling Tartan Army in the Eternal City must have feared their side were set for a fresh bout of white-line fever as another chance went begging eight minutes in.

(Continue reading below…)

How Jim Hamilton and Darren Cave previewed Scotland’s trip to Italy

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A monster 60-yard kick from Hogg forced a line-out deep into the Azzurri’s 22 but while the hosts were caught out by Stuart McInally’s long throw for Sam Johnson, they were back in position to hold up Hogg before a knock-on from Magnus Bradbury saw the Scots come frustrated yet again.

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The Dark Blues’ scrum was working well and a big shunt should have been rewarded with an easy three points. Adam Hastings, however, shanked a simple kick almost in front of the sticks.

It was a sloppy start from Townsend’s team and it almost became a disastrous one as another poor swipe of Hastings’ boot released Mattia Bellini. The Zebre wing danced past three tackles before storming up field, with Jayden Hayward only prevented from scoring by Hogg’s last-ditch tackle.

But it was Scotland who at last found a breakthrough in the 23rd minute. Blair Kinghorn put Matteo Minozzi under pressure with a well-placed kick and he could only respond by firing straight at Jamie Ritchie in centre-field. The flanker handed off to Hogg and the skipper did the rest, rampaging through a gap in the hosts’ line before striding away from Hayden to score a sensational try.

It was a moment of redemption for the relieved captain as he was pounced upon by his jubilant team-mates after hitting back at those who have suggested the armband might be too heavy for him.

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Hastings missed the conversion but Scotland thought they had a second try on the half-hour mark as Ali Price scampered in under the hosts but the celebrations were cut short when the TMO alerted referee Ben O’Keeffe to Hamish Watson’s forward pass in the build-up.

Tommaso Allan then fired a late penalty against the post as Italy wasted a chance before Scotland’s 5-0 lead before the break. But Scotland were still being wasteful, with Price and Ritchie again letting the ball slip through their fingers with the line in sight either side of the turnaround.

They did not lose heart though and got their reward in the 47th minute. There were times during 17 phases of sheer grunt on the Italian line where Italy’s resistance looked like it might pay off but in the end there was just enough space for Harris to squeeze through wide on the right for the second. Again Hastings failed to convert.

Italy had to play out the final stages a man light after Federico Zani was binned for a tip-tackle on Grant Gilchrist. And with their legs tiring they could do nothing as Hastings pick-pocketed a ruck before cantering in under the posts to put the seal on a much-needed win for Scotland and their coach.

– Press Association 

WATCH: RugbyPass Rugby Explorer takes a trek through Italian rugby, visiting Rome and Treviso  

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Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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