SCOTLAND achieved a record score against Italy with a seven-try demolition of the young Azzurri in last night's Six Nations under-20 international match at Netherdale to build confidence ahead of the next round against England.
"It's all about momentum", said Scotland under20 coach Sean Lineen, adding: "There's a lot to work on. We didn't play all that well with ball in hand."
Where Scotland dominated was in the set scrum where Glasgow Warriors' prop Zander Fagerson was immense and deservedly won the man-of-the-match award.
Scotland's dynamic play in the opening minutes of the match brought a quick reward with a close-range try and conversion by scrum-half George Horne after the Scots forwards had out-powered the Italian pack.
Then from a penalty-created line-out in the corner Scotland used the strength of their forwards to drive over for a try by skipper Jamie Ritchie, Horne's conversion attempt from wide rebounding back off the upright.
The Scots were then handed an advantage with the sin-binning of Italy's prop Dino Dallavalle, leading inevitably to a driven line-out try again by Ritchie, Horne's conversion giving Scotland a 19-0 interval advantage.
Scotland looked determined to add to their points tally at the beginning of the second half and did so with a try under the posts by full-back Ruairi Howarth from an incisive break by centre Patrick Kelly - Horne succeeding with the simple conversion kick.
The Scots thereafter dominated possession and territory and grabbed their fifth try from a sniping run by replacement scrum-half Ben Vellacot and intelligent support running from Ritchie for the flanker to score his hat-trick try, the conversion points added by replacement stand-off Tom Galbraith.
Ritchie was quickly in the action again, sending replacement wing Ben Robbins in for a try under the posts leaving Gabraith with a straightforward kick at goal.
Then in a spectacular finish Scotland wing Alec Coombes collected a kick ahead outside the Scots 22 metre area before fending off four tacklers in an 80-meter dash to the line to sign off a record win for the Scots.
Scorers Scotland Tries Horne,Ritchie (3), Howarth, Robbins, Coombes Cons Horne (3), Galbraith (2)
Scotland under-20 : R Howarth; R Smith, A Russell, P Kelly, A Coombes; R Hutchinson, G Horne; M McCallum, R Graham, Z Fagerson, A Davidson, L Carmichael , N Irvine-Hess, J Ritchie, M Bradbury Replacements. S James, D Elkington for McCallum 64, J Owlett for Fagerson 73, S Cummings for Davidson 55 for Graham 55 , A Miller, B Vellacott for Horne 61, T Galbraith for Hutchinson 61, B Robbins for Smith 55
Italy under-20 : L Sperandio; Y Agbasse, G De Santi, E Lucchin, T Beraldin; M Minozzi, L Petrozzi; D Dallavalle, L Luus, P Buonfigli, D Zanetti, D Fragnito), M Archetti, J Polledri , R Giammarioli Replacements A Cincotto for Luus 20, E Makelara for Dallavalle 40, F Pavesi for Buonfiglio 70, U D'Onofrio for Fragnito 47, M Cornelli for Zanetti 64, R Raffaele for Petrozzi 47, M Azzolini for Minozzi 51 , L Casalini for Agbasse 70
Referee S Gallagher (Ireland)
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