Guinness Women's Six Nations 2025: Italy hold off late Scottish comeback to secure first win of Championship in Edinburgh
By Rhys Jones
Published 13/04/2025 at 19:54 GMT+1
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Scotland conceded five tries at home as they missed out on the chance to climb into third place in the Guinness Women's Six Nations table, losing 25-17 to Italy in Edinburgh. Italy had lost their two opening matches to England and Ireland. But they took it to the Scots on Sunday and claimed a brilliant win, with Aura Muzzo's late try sealing victory.
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND - APRIL 13: Italy Rugby team celebrate beating Scotland 17-25 during the Guinness Women's Six Nations 2025 match between Scotland and Italy at Hive Stadium - Edinburgh Rugby Stadium on April 13, 2025 in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Photo by Euan Cherry/Federugby via Getty Images)
Image credit: Getty Images
Scotland suffered a 25-17 loss at home to Italy in round three of the Women’s Six Nations.
The Italians had conceded a total of 92 points in their first two matches of the tournament, and their visit to Edinburgh represented a perfect chance for the Scots to slide into third in the table after Ireland’s bruising loss to England.
The hosts had initially opened the scoring and were on top after weathering early pressure from the Italians. Chloe Rollie crashed over for her 26th Test try in the 12th minute.
Italy responded 10 minutes later from an efficient lineout, with flanker Francesca Sgorbini diving over from an ensuing ruck for her second try of the Championship.
They then managed to find the gaps in a scrambling Scottish defence and a clever dummy from Michela Sillari allowed Aura Muzzo to race to the line and finish in the corner. Sillari had missed Italy’s first two conversions, meaning a below-par Scottish side were only three points behind at the break.
Just like the first half, Scotland hit Italy early in the second half and Evie Gallagher made the most of the smooth lineout move to push through the Italian pack and dot down to reclaim the lead.
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Italy then regained control and the impressive combination of Muzzo and Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi made Scotland pay for a poor clearance. Ostuni Minuzzi gathered and skated through the Scottish defence before passing to Aura Muzzo.
She was stopped short of the try line but managed to get an offload away back to Ostuni Minuzzi, who finished the move for Italy’s third try.
Soon after things went from bad to worse for Bryan Easson’s side as Lisa Thomson was given a yellow card for a high tackle.
Italy took advantage of that and found their bonus-point try in the 65th minute as Alyssa D’Inca finished in the corner from a whipping long pass from Beatrice Rigoni.
Scotland forced their way into Italian territory and Francesca McGhie weaved through the defence to make it 17-20 and set up a tense final five minutes.
But Italy stopped a great Scottish comeback dead in their tracks in the 78th minute when Ostuni Minuzzi and Muzzo combined once again, with the former firing a sharp pass for the latter to claim her second try of the match, and secure Italy’s first win of the Championship in Edinburgh.
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