In a thrilling encounter that kicked off the 2025 Six Nations Championship, Scotland managed to secure a hard-fought victory against a determined Italy at Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh. The final score stood at 31-19, with Scotland’s Huw Jones stealing the show with a hat-trick of tries.
From the outset, Scotland appeared to be in control, with co-captain Rory Darge bulldozing his way over the line early to set the tone for the match. The Scots capitalized on their momentum, extending their lead with tries from Duhan van der Merwe and Ben White, the latter thanks to a sublime offload from Dave Cherry. Heading into halftime, Scotland led 19-9, largely due to Italy’s resilience shown through three successful penalties by Tommaso Allan.
The second half, however, brought an unexpected twist. Italy, not to be underestimated, clawed their way back into contention when Ignacio Brex intercepted a pass from Finn Russell to score under the posts, leveling the game at 19-19. This moment of brilliance from Brex seemed to galvanize the Azzurri, threatening to upset Scotland’s championship aspirations early on.
Despite the setback, Scotland managed to regroup. The turning point came when Darcy Graham, with his electrifying pace and agility, broke through the Italian defense, setting up Huw Jones for his second try. Jones, who had already been a significant threat throughout the match, secured his hat-trick with a stretch over the line, putting Scotland in a commanding 31-19 lead with the game’s final minutes ticking away.
Italy made a late push for a bonus point, with Juan Ignacio Brex and Ange Capuozzo at the forefront of their efforts, but Scotland’s defense held firm. The home side’s ability to deny Italy a losing bonus point was crucial, underlining their determination to start the tournament with a statement victory.
The match was not without its controversies and moments of individual brilliance. Scotland’s fly-half, Finn Russell, had a mixed day, with his intercept pass leading to Italy’s only try, yet his overall playmaking kept Scotland’s attack flowing. For Italy, the performance was one of promise; they demonstrated that they are no longer the easy beats of the Six Nations, showing significant improvement from previous years under coach Gonzalo Quesada.
This match sets the stage for an intriguing Six Nations. Scotland, despite missing key players like captain Sione Tuipulotu, showed they have the depth and resilience to contend for the title. Italy, on the other hand, will take heart from this performance, knowing they were inches away from potentially securing their first victory at Murrayfield in a decade.
Looking ahead, Scotland will host Ireland in their next match, a significant test of their championship credentials. Meanwhile, Italy will look to build on this performance when they face Wales, aiming to prove that their upward trajectory in international rugby is no fluke.
The 2025 Six Nations has begun with a match that had everything: tries, tension. We’re sure there will be plenty more of each as the tournament develops.