Scotland’s much-heralded revival came to a crashing halt at BT Murrayfield as a late penalty try gave Italy a wholly deserved win and left the Scots facing an RBS 6 Nations whitewash and wooden spoon.
Referee George Clancy had no choice but to go between the posts with time expiring on the game clock as the Scots illegally hauled down the last of a series of devastating driving mauls by the Italian pack.
The Scots had been 10-0 ahead after only eight minutes but it was a error-ridden, at times panic-stricken performance by the home team.
They even had ample opportunity to save themselves at the death having forced an unlikely penalty at a defensive scrum, but a missed touch and a penalty in midfield allowed Italy a second chance for the win they wholly deserved over the piece.
The visitors scored three tries to one and the Scots and their bigger pack had a firm grip on the match, while full-back Luke McLean won man of the match for his solid performance at the back.
It all looked so different when the Scots went ahead through a Greig Laidlaw penalty before a minute had been played, and then got a gift-wrapped try after eight minutes.
Italian fly-half Kelly Haimona floated a pass to his captain Sergio Parisse on halfway and Mark Bennett stepped in for the easy interception and took it back 50 metres for the try, laidlaw converting.
However Scotland botched the kick-off and Italy’s driving lineout got them on the scoreboard immediately, Josh Furno getting the touchdown.
Again when the Scots stretched their lead on 16 minutes with a Laidlaw penalty after a Tommy Seymour break, an error on kick-off handed Italy an easy penalty for Haimona to keep Italy within range.
Laidlaw kicked a penalty for offside but Italy’s power in scrummage and lineout began to tell and they forced a penalty chance for Haimona four minutes before half-time.
His kick hit the post, but bounced over the retreating Laidlaw and Italian wing Giovanbattista Venditti got the ball and wrestled his way over for an opportunist try.
Only a point ahead at the break, the Scots failed to impose themselves in the second half and it was a nervy spell for the home crowd, Italy’s replacement fly-half Tommy Allan missing an easy penalty chance.
Stuart Hogg went over for the Scots by Sean Lamont’s pass was correctly ruled forward, but a long period of Scottish pressure brought only a Laidlaw penalty.
In the dying minutes Italy pressed through lineout and scrum but the Scots seemed to have weathered the storm when after awarding two penalties against Scotland at five-metre scrums, he gave one against Italy.
However Peter Horne missed touch with the kick, Italy counterattacked and won a penalty which they kicked to the line, and after a series of drives splintered the Scottish defence and two yellow cards, the referee felt he had no option but to go under the posts to give the Italians their deserved victory.
Att: 62,188
Scotland: S Hogg; T Seymour, M Bennett (M Scott 68), A Dunbar, S Lamont; P Horne, G Laidlaw (capt, S Hidalgo-Clyne 75)); A Dickinson (R Grant 68), R Ford (F Brown 66), E Murray (G Cross 75); T Swinson (B Toolis 70), J Gray; R Harley, B Cowan, J Beattie (H Watson 51).
Italy: L McLean; M Visentin, L Morisi, E Bacchin, G Venditti (G Bisegni 70); K Haimona (T Allan 45), E Gori; M Aguero (A Dei Marco 57), L Ghiraldini (A Manici 69), D Christolini (L Cittadini 57); G Biagi (M Fuser 69), J Furno; F Minto, S Favaro (S Vunisa 62), S Parisse.
Ref: G Clancy (IRFU)