Italy looking good ahead of Six Nations

With the 2015 Six Nations firing the starting gun for qualification for the next World Cup, it is essential for both Italy and Scotland to be as ready as possible for the upcoming tournament - and it was Italy who came away with a confidence-building win in Sunday's friendly test between the two teams.

The World Cup qualification process has yet to be confirmed by World Rugby (as the IRB are now known), but with England, France and Ireland almost certain to gain automatic places in the 2017 tournament, it will be left to Wales, Scotland and Italy to compete for the - at best - two further European places likely to be allocated to the Six Nations. Games involing these three teams in the 2015 and 2016 Six Nations will therefore have extra significance, and it is noticible that both Italy and Scotland have been more active this autumn. 

On a perfect autumnal day it was Italian coach Andrea Di Giandomenico's team who started the brightest and were first on the scoreboard with a try from Cioffi after 14 minutes. Scotland replied with a penalty from Martin six minutes later to make it 5-3, but after that it was all Azurri, with a penalty from Rigoni added to a second Cioffi try, while in the second half Magatti added two more tries.

Di Giandomenico was delighted at the end. "It was a game that gave us many positive points and also some directions to work in ahead of the Six Nations. In the first half we made some handling mistakes and we will also have to work on giving away so many penalties at the breakdown - in the Six Nations we cannot concede so many. Overall we showed great tenacity and had a good game. Looking ahead we need to be faster and more precise to be fully competitive."

Avezzano, Rugby Stadium - Sunday, November 23

Italy v Scotland 27-3

Scorers: 14' Cioffi try. (5-0), 20' Martin penalty. (5-3), 28' Rigoni penalty. (8-3), 35' Cioffi try, Rigoni conversion (15-3); 67' Magatti try. (20-3), 80' Magatti try., Rigoni conversion. (27-3).

Italy: Furlan; Sillari, Cioffi, Zangirolami Magatti; Rigoni, Stefan; Gaudino (cap.), Jordan, Este; Pantarotto, Ruzza; Gai, Bettoni, Cucchiella.

Scotland: Inglis; Sloan, Steven Neary, Johnston; Martin, Grieve; Cook, Forsberg, O'Donnell; Wassell, McCormack; Balmer, Skeldon, Lockhart.

Player of the Match Elisa Giordano.