SIX NATIONS: Scotland 21 Italy 8:CHRIS PATERSON, a man who has appeared on the Scott's Porage Oats packet, helped to give Scotland's supporters a warm glow at the end of a Six Nations in which they have existed on meagre rations. The home team avoiding a whitewash did not lead to riotous celebrations in the bars of Rose Street, but in the Scotland camp there was guarded optimism about the World Cup campaign.
There are green shoots of recovery among the thistles, as Scotland showed at Twickenham a week earlier, and the slightly built, modest Borderer Paterson has played a big part in the revival after the debacle against Wales.
Just as he had on Ben Foden at Twickenham, Paterson pulled off try-saving tackles on Paul Derbyshire and Luke McLean. He also played a key role in Nikki Walker’s second-half try.
And, of course, he kicked 11 points. The former captain now has 783, a Scotland record, in 104 Tests – another record. Paterson, who turns 33 next week, can contemplate another first – being a Scot at a fourth World Cup.
“At the end of last year’s Six Nations I would never have dreamed of playing in another World Cup,” said Paterson, who regained the fullback spot after injuries to Rory Lamont and Hugo Southwell. Paterson said he had worked with Graham Steadman, Scotland’s defence coach, on improving his tackling. “It’s just part of the job,” he said.
Scotland did not make life easy for themselves. They had not scored a try at Murrayfield since November 2009 and after the first half they trailed by two points and had lost the centre Joe Ansbro to a knee injury.
However, Ansbro’s replacement, Nick De Luca, chose a good time to score his first try for his country against the land of his forefathers when he crashed over in the corner after Nathan Hines had peeled off a maul.
Eight minutes later the bulky Walker took a pass from Paterson to power over from the 22.
Italy, having lost their try-scorer, Andrea Masi, to a knee injury, were unable to repeat their comeback against France.
Scotland coach Andy Robinson, who has cut a frustrated figure these past two months, allowed himself a smile. “There’s a lot of hard work to be done between now and the World Cup. Romania and Georgia will be potential banana skins. Then there’s Argentina, who we performed well against last year, before we face England in Auckland.
“We won’t fear England and we won’t fear Argentina and we’re aiming to win the pool. That’s not being arrogant, but we stood toe-to-toe with England and Scotland at their best can beat any team. If we drop off in our intensity we will be beaten. I don’t want us to be a team who sit back and look for the odd win.”
Robinson will have players such as Rory Lamont, Graeme Morrison and Chris Cusiter back by the time they play Italy again, in a World Cup warm-up in August.
The conversion of Sean Lamont to centre was another bonus on Saturday.
* Guardian Service
SCOTLAND:Paterson; Walker, Ansbro, S Lamont, Danielli; Jackson, R Lawson; Jacobsen, Ford, Cross, Gray, Kellock, Hines, Brown, Barclay. Replacements:De Luca for Ansbro (19 mins), Strokosch for Hines (54 mins), Blair for R Lawson, S Lawson for Ford, Murray for Cross (all 64 mins), Vernon for Brown (74 mins), Parks for S Lamont (78 mins).
ITALY:Masi; Benvenuti, Canale, Sgarbi, Bergamasco; Burton, Semenzato; Perugini, Ghiraldini, Castrogiovanni, Del Fava, Geldenhuys, Zanni, Derbyshire, Parisse. Replacements:McLean for Masi (32 mins), Bernabo for Del Fava (54 mins), Orquera for Burton, Lo Cicero for Perugini, Barbieri for Derbyshire (all 59 mins), Canavosio for Sgarbi (69 mins), Festuccia for Ghiraldini (79 mins).
Referee:S Walsh (New Zealand).