Bryan Easson praises Scotland for shutout in WXV win over Italy

Over the years the Scots have found the Italians to be a bit of a bogey team, but that is now three wins on the trot against them since last April after this 19-0 victory in the DHL Stadium in Cape Town.

Ideally, with hosts South Africa (31-24 over Japan) and Scotland’s likely biggest rivals for the title Australia (37-5 over Wales) earning four-try bonus point wins in week one, they would have liked that extra point too, but given the wet and windy weather and Italy’s tenacity this was still a good job done to get four out of five match points.

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Next up is Japan on October 5 and then Australia on October 12 and, after starting their title defence with this solid if slightly unflashy result, Easson said:  “It was a difficult game, but to win 19-0 against an opponent we know well we’re pleased.

"We had to look after the game pretty well and defensively I thought we were very solid and that gave us a foothold into things.

“We didn’t allow Italy anything in the second half especially, so I’m really pleased.”

That is 11 wins in the last 14 Tests now for fifth in the world Scotland and there is real competition for places as was shown here with players such as Leah Bartlett, Jade Konkel and Rhona Lloyd sitting in the stands.

“We’ve got real belief in this group, that’s 30 players here and more at home, and that belief breeds confidence,” Easson added.

Evie Gallagher was named player of the match (Image: World Rugby) “We’ve got a real understanding of how we want to play now and how we want to break opposition down.

“We worked really hard through the week leading up to the game on our strategy around how we wanted to play and how we wanted to defend.

“When it got to weather like that in the wind and rain, we understood exactly what we were going after and we stuck to task. We didn’t have all the ball, but we suffocated Italy and they didn’t look like scoring.

“To ‘nil’ a team says an awful lot about the work rate and the desire to keep an opposition out and 19-0 on a day like that is extremely pleasing.”

In previous years Scotland have often stuck to the 15 starting players or 16 or 17 bodies to get them through 80 minutes, but the increased depth mentioned means that the bench players have been making a real impact over the last 18 months or so.

Against Italy tighthead prop Elliann Clarke came on and did a cracking job while back-row Alex Stewart was busy and all eight subs played their part in an attritional second period.

“I thought the bench came on and gave energy,” Easson explained.

“It’s very important that we understand the strength of our bench. The energy that they bring every single game is important while they stick to task.

“It’s really important that all players 1 to 23 get the accolades they deserve after this one.”  

Meanwhile, skipper Rachel Malcolm was pleased that her charges rolled up their sleeves and got the job done.

The back-rower, who was earning her 50th cap, said:  “It felt like we were playing out on the back pitches at Murrayfield at times given the weather conditions, but we battled really hard.

Rachel Malcolm won her 50th cap in Cape Town (Image: Scottish Rugby)

“Italy really made us work for this win, but we have worked hard to be able to play the game we want in whatever conditions.

“Although the points didn’t come freely, I thought we did a good job of keeping Italy penned their own half in the second period and we have got a win under our belts and we have something to build on now going into the next two matches.”

Having been 14-0 up at the break thanks to converted tries from full-back Chloe Rollie and hooker Lana Skeldon, Scotland were hunting a bonus point in the second period which two more scores would have brought, but only one more try came late on via winger Coreen Grant.

Coreen Grant scored Scotland's third try late on (Image: World Rugby) “Initially after we scored the third try we were then aiming for a bonus point try, but when we got stuck down in the corner that was when we decided the sensible option was to end the game and take what we had,” Malcolm explained.

“In the conditions it was so slippy by the end that if we had tried to run it out from deep we would have run the risk of maybe a dropped ball and giving them a chance to score points which would have changed the final scoreline so that swung it.

“We are happy with the win and we dealt with things well. The conditions as things went on probably stopped it being a nice game of rugby to watch, but I am super proud of the effort put in by the girls.”