Italy defeated Scotland 18-15 (15-7) at the Olympic Stadium in Rome on February 7, 2026, before a crowd of approximately 68,000 spectators, marking the debut of both teams in the Six Nations rugby tournament.
Azzurri Triumph in Six Nations Opener
Italy secured a narrow victory over Scotland in a tightly contested match, signaling a promising start to their Six Nations campaign.
- Italy, coached by Argentine Gonzalo Quesada, claimed their first win of the tournament.
- Louis Lynagh and Tommaso Menoncello scored tries for the Azzurri.
- Captain Michele Lamaro emphasized the importance of a strong start in the match.
- The Italian defense proved crucial in securing the win during the final minutes.
Tries by Louis Lynagh – set up by Argentine player Juan Ignacio Brex – and Tommaso Menoncello, along with a conversion and two penalties from Paolo Garbisi, propelled Italy to victory. For Gregor Townsend’s Scotland, Jack Dempsey and George Horne touched down, with Finn Russell adding a conversion and a penalty.
“A crazy day. The boys left everything on the field because we knew what we could give. There were moments of difficulty, but I couldn’t be happier,” commented captain Michele Lamaro, explaining that “the first 20 minutes were key because the grass was still dry. Afterwards, everything became more difficult.”
Late in the game, at the 77th minute, Italy unusually lost possession while on the Scottish goal line. Russell’s subsequent kicks pushed Scotland within striking distance of a tie or even a win, but a determined defensive effort, anchored by a strong maul, thwarted those intentions.
Argentine Juan Ignacio Brex tackles Tom Jordan (AP).Italy’s next challenge will be against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, February 14th, as part of the second round of matches. Scotland will face England in Edinburgh that same day, while Wales will host France in Cardiff the following day.
“Playing at home, in front of our families, will be a great impact. It will be a spectacular atmosphere because there will also be many Scots and that will be an extra motivation,” anticipated Quesada leading up to the match against Scotland, a team Italy had previously defeated eight times, most recently by 31-29 in the 2024 edition of the Six Nations.
That 2024 victory also marked Quesada’s debut as the Azzurri’s coach in the tournament, during which Italy also celebrated a win against Wales and a draw against France.
In the previous edition, Italy finished second to last with five points, ahead of only Wales, who closed with three points. Scotland finished in fourth place with 11 points.
The Rest of the Six Nations
The European tournament commenced on Thursday with defending champions France defeating Ireland 36-14. The scheduling of the opening match was unusual, coinciding with the opening of the Winter Olympic Games in Italy. The first round concluded with England’s dominant 48-7 victory over Wales at Twickenham. France and England currently lead with 5 points each, followed by Italy with 4, Scotland with 1, and Wales and Ireland with 0.
Henry Arundell supports for England (AP).