Italy boss Massimo Brunello says his side’s 34-14 win over Scotland was a far closer game than it should have been.  

It took until the 65th minute for Italy to make sure of victory, having led 15-7 for nearly half the game.  

And the Azzurrini head coach believes his side must be more clinical if they hope to secure top spot in Pool B of the Under-20 Six Nations Summer Series and beat Wales next Wednesday. 

“We made our life complicated,” he said. 

“When we were 15-7 up we had the chances to score more and there maybe the match would have gone in another way but we kept Scotland in the game.  

“Then in the last 15 minutes we really accelerated and turned the game on our side.” 

Italy notched their third score just before the break through Lapo Frangini and it looked at that moment that they would stroll to victory. 

But they were very fortunate to not see their lead cut on the stroke of half time and had Alex Mattioli to thank for their eight-point cushion.  

The second-row made two crucial interventions, each time stripping the ball away from Scotland forwards with the try line in sight. 

The start to the second half was then littered with handling errors and Brunello says those needless mistakes offered Scotland hope of a result.  

“We were not so precise,” he declared. 

“Normally the team is more precise in certain game areas and that kept Scotland in the game for longer than it should have happened.” 

Italy finally clicked with 15 minutes to play and three quick scores wrapped up victory before a late Scotland consolation. 

Hooker Tomasso Scramoncin scored twice either side of fellow replacement flanker Giovanni Cendese and despite Andrew Stirrat’s late effort Italy sit top of the group, level on points with Wales but ahead of Byron Hayward’s side on points difference.  

Asked what carried his team to victory in the closing stages, Brunello said: “Scrums and drives. We stayed focused, kept our discipline and that made a difference in the end.  

“Stronger legs too perhaps, maybe stronger than Scotland.” 

His next assignment is Hayward’s Wales, in what is effectively a semi-final fixture with the victor playing the winners of Pool A on July 12th.  

“I think Italy and Wales are quite similar,” Brunello said. “We’ve made a similar path up to now.  

“If we manage to dominate scrums like we did in the first two games that could maybe the key factor.” 

The Six Nations U20 Summer Series takes place from 24 June – 12 July. Fans can watch every match live. For more information visit: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJHm6BFw-9JRA1CMekNLwMg