Italy head coach Conor O’Shea admitted his side’s game management let them down after they slipped to a 29-27 defeat to Scotland in the NatWest 6 Nations.
The hosts had spent most of the game in front in Rome before Greig Laidlaw’s penalty in the 79th minute denied Italy their first win in the Championship since 2015.
Tommaso Allan was the star for the Azzurri and scored two tries as he amassed 22 of their 27 points.
However, it was not enough to avoid Italy finishing the Championship in sixth place.
Speaking after the dramatic conclusion, O’Shea said he was impressed with how his side played despite the disappointing finish.
“We want to play and the more we do the better we’ll come,” O’Shea said. “There are so many positives, but I’m destroyed [at the loss].”
Scotland found themselves 12 points behind on two occasions, with tries from Allan and Matteo Minozzi giving the hosts a 17-12 lead at half-time.
A lovely move involving Jake Polledri, who shrugged off Ryan Wilson, then saw Allan cross the whitewash for his second try early in the second half.
But Scotland responded with tries from captain John Barclay, Sean Maitland and Stuart Hogg – following Fraser Brown’s first-half effort – as they staged a late comeback.
While O’Shea agreed Italy could have controlled the game better in the latter stages, he also praised his players for playing expansive, attacking rugby.
“You could look at times that we didn’t manage the game,” he said.
“But you could also look at the times we played and played some amazing rugby and made the breaks and then you’ll say that’s great play.
“We must learn how to game manage within the way we play and the only way to learn at this level for some players is to be out there.
“In English terms, they’d say it’s time at the crease – it’s a cricketing term – that’s the only way you learn and there is no shortcut in life.”
