Parisse basks in triumph while Scots are left gutted

This then was not the triumphal march of anyone from the Scotland squad. This was the entrance of Jacques Brunel, the Italian head coach, and Sergio Parisse, his captain.

This was only the second away victory in the Six Nations history for Italy and the laurel leaves were thrown at their feet by a joyous travelling media.

The 22-19 scoreline indicates a tight match and the imperious Parisse was not intoxicated by the taste of a rare victory. "If they find the touch, we lose the match," he said of the moment in the 77th minute when Peter Horne, the Scotland stand-off, could not kick the ball out of play at a penalty.

Instead of a line-out with a Scotland put-in, Italy gained possession and relentlessly put pressure on the home side, ending with a penalty try that granted victory when defeat was only moments away.

"I am happy with the team and the ambition we showed," said Parisse, who has played for his country 111 times and celebrated at the end by raising his arms to the heavens.

"Last year in Rome we lost the match against Scotland in the last minute. It was fantastic to win, it is hard for the team who loses," he said.

"Sometimes you need a little bit of luck and we were happy to have it today."

Happiness was not in view moments after Parisse left the room after a prolonged photo-shoot with what seemed like the entire Italian press corps.

Mark Bennett, the Scotland centre, and Blair Cowan, the back row forward, entered with moods as sombre as their dark suits.

"We are hurting," said Cowan. "I can honestly say I have never been this gutted in my whole career."

Scotland were praised in the autumn and there was also encouraging words after defeats to France in Paris and Wales at Murrayfield in this Six Nations campaign.

But Cowan said: "We have always taken a step forward even in defeats but this game was more of a step sideways."

He said the team had become a "bit over-excited" at crucial times but added: "I never thought we would lose that game until we had lost it."

Bennett, who scored an interception try after just seven minutes, was a kindred spirit with Cowan in terms of despondency. He nodded slightly as his colleague spoke of the deadened atmosphere in the dressing-room and of the feeling that this was a victory that the Scots had let slip.

"We created great chances and just did not take them. Credit to the Italians, they stuck in and finished the game very strongly.

"But we made mistakes. The penalties we conceded allowed them back in the game."

Every Scotland score was followed almost immediately and inevitably by the Italians reducing the deficit.

The narrow gap was to prove crucial in the final moments when Italian pressure seemed to be lifted by the awarding of a penalty to the Scots. Horne, the Glasgow Warriors stand-off, then failed to find a relieving touch.

"He is just gutted as we all are," said Bennett of his club team-mate. "We are in this together. He might have cramped up in the act of kicking, but I don't know."

He said of the overall performance: "We need to be more clinical. We need to take chances, it's as simple as that. We have the potential to tear teams open but it just has not clicked yet. We did not consolidate our leads and we made too many errors."

Parisse, in contrast, could be philosophical about errors. "We were in the game all the time," said the Stade Francais player. "We gave an easy interception try and we missed a couple of penalties. We made mistakes but it was the ambition of the team to keep playing. This victory gives us confidence for the rest of the tournament when we play France and Wales at home."

Scotland now head to Twickenham on March 14. "I was standing in the showers and had my head down and Ryan Grant said: "the only thing we can do now is beat England'," said Cowan.

If this Scotland team manage that feat, there will be laurel leaves thrown at them. The press corps will merely require smelling salts.