Player ratings

15 Luke McLean (Benetton Treviso) 6 A rock in defence and kicked well out of hand but rarely got a chance to show what he can do with the ball in hand.

14 Angelo Esposito (B Treviso) 5 No repeat of the disasters that came with his first cap but, like all Italy's wide players, found it hard to get into the action.

13 Michele Campagnaro (B Treviso) 5 Has been one of the stars of the championship so far but was rarely given the space he had in earlier games.

12 Gonzalo Garcia (Zebre) 7 The best of the Italian backs with a powerful display in the first half when he demonstrated his strength with a series of bullocking charges through the middle.

11 Leonardo Sarto (Zebre) 5 Not really a game that Italy's wings could get into, finding themselves on mainly defensive duties.

10 Tommaso Allan (Perpignan) 6 Thought he had scored an early try only for the referee to bring play back for a penalty but his celebrations were only delayed. Missed one kick, got the rest.

9 Edoardo Gori (B Treviso) 5 Gifted Scotland the position for Dunbar's try when he lost the ball trying a dummy kick, and was never as crisp as he can be.

1 Alberto De Marchi (B Treviso) 6 Had much the better of his opposite number, initially Moray Low, making just about every scrum a potential penalty for Italy. One big knock-on cost Allan his try.

2 Leonardo Ghiraldini (B Treviso) 7 Dynamic and hard to bring down in the open, part of the impressive Italian scrummaging effort and, after a few early wobbles, found his targets in the line-out.

3 Martin Castrogiovanni (Toulon) 6 Huge in the scrum as Italy took control early on. Replaced just short of the hour mark but had already made enough of his trademark carries to remember his record-breaking game fondly.

4 Quintin Geldenhuys (Zebre) 5 A quietish game, but plenty of graft as he concentrated on doing the essential but boring work locks have to get through.

5 Joshua Furno (Biarritz) 8 The pick of the Italian forwards. Seems almost impossible to bring down with the ball in hand and after some early issues won his share of line-out ball. Picked as man of the match long before the finale.

6 Alessandro Zanni (B Treviso) 6 Always a grafter and again showed he is the glue in the back row that allows the others to strut their more prominent stuff.

7 Robert Barbieri (B Treviso) 5 Not really an openside and it showed in some of the breakdown work but he is a strong ball carrier.

8 Sergio Parisse (C) (Stade Francais)7 Typical performance from Italy's star player on his landmark day. Helped lay on Allan's try and made a nuisance of himself all afternoon with his strong carries.

Replacements: The front-rowers seemed to drop rather the level rather than raise it but Luciano Orquera did well to convert the try to restore Italy's lead and Tobias Botes seemed to speed some of the breakdown work.

SCOTLAND

15 Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) 6 Ran well and found a couple of half breaks, but there have been games where he has been more of an influence.

14 Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) 5 Wore a track up the touchline chasing kicks. Often got there but with two men back and Seymour on his own, he rarely troubled them.

13 Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors) 8 Two tries. What more can you ask? A dynamic performance in every department as he piled into the fray and found the vital support lines when it really mattered.

12 Matt Scott (Edinburgh) 7 Played a crucial role in the first Scotland try and it is fair to say the rust from his three-month lay-off is truly gone.

11 Sean Lamont (Glasgow Warriors) 7 High workrate, lots of physicality and a good eye for a gap. Did brilliantly to start the move for Dunbar's second try.

10 Duncan Weir (Glasgow Warriors) 9 Guilty of a few mistakes and the odd misjudgment but you can forgive that and more for his final kick.

9 Greig Laidlaw (C) (Edinburgh) 5 A slow service at the base of the ruck didn't really help Scotland's game plan. Didn't kick much but his instinct for where the spaces are is unchanging.

1 Ryan Grant (Glasgow Warriors) 5 Ran with enthusiasm and knocked people about in the loose but must take some blame for the problems in the scrum.

2 Scott Lawson (Newcastle Falcons) 7 Brought in to do a job and did it well. Threw accurately in the line-out and showed the advantage of having a hooker who strikes for the ball.

3 Moray Low (Glasgow Warriors) 4 Penalised in the first three scrums and always struggling. Came off before half-time as the coaches started to worry about yellow cards.

4 Richie Gray (Castres) 7 How we've missed that mop of blond hair charging. Better still, he was doing his chores in the tight as well as the loose, which has not always been the case.

5 Jim Hamilton (Montpellier) 6 Set the tone for Scotland's performance when he stole the first two Italy line-outs and they had to suffer the same kinds of issues that have been rocking Scotland.

6 Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors) 5 Praised by his coach for his line-out work but seemed to spend most of the afternoon at the bottom of rucks. Tackled better than in the previous two games.

7 Chris Fusaro (Glasgow Warriors)6 Game in contesting the breakdown but didn't get his hands on the ball as often as he would have liked.

8 Johnnie Beattie (Montpellier) 7 Brought back to bring some ball-playing ability to the back row and delivered. Carried well.

Replacements: Chris Cusiter raised the speed of the game and Geoff Cross was prominent in sorting out the scrum. Max Evans created havoc with one chase and all can take credit for the final quarter effort that pinched the result.

Stuart McAllister