Dominguez leads charge over Scotland the grave

Yesterday morning, on another glorious day, the Azzurro awoke in almost nonchalant triumph. The world had said theirs was an impossible dream. But the world was wrong. They had made sporting history and, wherever they looked, Italy had the bounce of spring in its jaunty step.

For those who had come to Rome for the novel but exquisite sight of watching Six Nations rugby in the Eternal City, the thrill of seeing Italy win their first match in the sport's oldest tournament was irresistible.

And if the shock of the new brought its inevitable confusion, at least it was a shared bewilderment. Rugby union had finally made the Italian front pages. Yet, even in celebration, it was still swamped by a different sport - yachting rather than football.

Overnight the Italian yacht, Luna Rossa, had swept into the final of the Americas Cup in Auckland after beating the American favourite in the deciding ninth race. Italy was captivated. Serie A, for once, stepped back in admiration.

But even the Italians could not ignore the magnificent feat of their habitually ignored rugby team. They are still bamboozled by the oval game but, in Rome, they always recognise a miracle.

The front page of Corriere dello Sport found the most representative way of fusing together a strange sporting trinity. A "Luna Rossa, si!" banner headline dominated the more expected plea of "Lazio e Roma, forza!" And then, at the very bottom, an heroic Six Nations debut effort was hailed - with the promise of more rugby on page 24.

For world rugby, however, Italy's astonishing demolition of Scotland will remain the story of 2000. On a day when England and France reaffirmed their superiority by crushing Ireland and Wales, Italy saved the inaugural Six Nations weekend from numbing predictability.

While the championship may be settled as early as a week on Saturday when England travel to Paris, the Italian adventure has just begun. European rugby should get down on its creaking knees in thankful tribute.

The shock was less that Italy were galvanised by the occasion into overcoming a slump which had seen them concede 599 points in their preceding 10 matches. It was more a surprise that Scotland were as terrible in Rome as they had been sublime in Paris when they clinched the Five Nations last April.

While the rugby was flawed, the drama was raw. After Diego Dominguez's four penalties and Kenny Logan's own woeful quartet of misses had produced a psychologically crucial 12-10 home advantage, Italy tore into the Scots after the break and allowed Dominguez to land a cool trio of drop goals.

The outhalf eventually took his personal tally to 29, including his conversion of a barging try, from the substitute prop Giampiero De Carli, which sent the stadium into delirium.

Their extraordinary coach, Brad Johnstone, transformed Italy in his first match - especially at halftime when, in the centre of the field, the former All Black hammered home the message that history was calling.

"I thought if we were going to win a game," he said with his gruff twinkle, "it would be this one because everybody expected us to be useless.

"Opinion in Britain even questioned whether Italy should be in the competition. I feel sorry for the Scots that they had to face us first. We'd worked on our basics - the scrum, second-phase rucking and mauling and defence. It's like putting down the foundation for a house before you build the walls."

Italy: Pini; D Dallan, M Dallan, Martin, Stoica; Dominguez, Troncon; Cuttitta, Moscardi, Paoletti, Checchinato, Gritti, Giovanelli, Bergamasco, Visser. Replacements: Rivaro for D Dallan (45 mins), Mazzantini for Troncon (80 mins), de Carli for Paoletti (67 mins), Persico for Bergamasco (66 mins). Not Used: Scanavacca, Orlandi, Lanzi.

Scotland: Metcalfe; Longstaff, Mayer, J Leslie, Logan; Townsend, Redpath; Smith, Bulloch, Stewart, Murray, Grimes, M Leslie, Pountney, Simpson. Replacements: McLaren for J Leslie (14 mins). Not Used: Nicol, Hodge, Hilton, Russell, Weir, Reid.

Attendance: 24,000.

Referee: J Kaplan (RSA)