Scotland avoid wooden spoon

De Luka: Scored Scotland's first try at Murrayfield since November 2009

Scotland have beaten Italy 21-8 at Murrayfield in their final match of the 2011 RBS Six Nations.

Second-half tries from Nick De Luca and Nikki Walker and a man-of-the-match performance from Richie Gray did the damage for Andy Robinson's side as they avoided losing all of their matches in this year's championship.

Scotland entered Saturday's game in danger of suffering their first whitewash since 2004, as well as picking up the wooden spoon after Italy's shock win over France last weekend.

But Robinson's troops battled their way to victory in a much-improved display, and the Azzurri - despite their heroics in Rome last week - finish bottom of the pile.

Scotland started well and Chris Paterson gave them the lead with a fourth-minute penalty but it was shortlived as the visitors scored the first try through Andrea Masi, who bulldozed his way through the hosts' defence to touch down.

Mirco Bergamasco's inconsistent kicking again came to the fore, and his conversion kick rebounded off the bar as the Italians failed to extend their advantage.

Scotland were turning over possession at will but Robinson's side did regain the lead on 19 minutes through another Paterson penalty kick, although those points came at the cost of the injured Joe Ansbro.

Italy soon wrestled back the lead as Bergamasco finally got off the mark via a penalty, but the Azzurri were also dealt an injury blow when Masi was replaced by Luke McLean.

The unexpected incident of the first-half came when referee Steve Walsh caught a loose Italian pass after 34 minutes before Paterson also produced a rare moment - a penalty miss at Murrayfield right on half-time.

Pivotal

Both teams were wasteful at the start of the second period and it became more likely that the next score would be pivotal. Indeed it was, as Scotland scored their first try in eight matches on home soil on 48 minutes.

Nathan Hines was at the heart of the move, offloading intelligently to De Luca who went over in the corner for the Scot's first Murrayfield try since November 2009. Paterson was unable to add the gloss of a conversion as his misfiring kicking game continued.

That meant the hosts' lead was just three points and Robinson's gesticulations to go for the jugular were heard by his players as Walker touched down on 55 minutes.

The Ospreys' winger collected a quick ball from Paterson and exploited McLean's poor challenge to land his sixth try for his country. Paterson was never going to miss the conversion and Scotland's put daylight between themselves and the Azzurri.

Italy came back from a 12-point deficit against Les Bleus in Rome, and they would have had to better that in Edinburgh as Paterson added a further three points with a long-range penalty goal.

The visitors continued to bring the fight and Luciano Orquera thought he had scored in the corner on 74 minutes, only to see Walsh signal for obstruction.

The Azzurri had time for one last chance and McLean did wonderfully to make a beeline for the corner, but with three minutes to go, Paterson clawed his hands around the full-back's ankles to make a try-saving tackle as Scotland ended their Six Nations campaign with victory.