Italy began their World Cup campaign in sensational fashion with a 28-4 victory over a Scotland side that went into this fixture as favourites.
Scotland almost had the first score in the fifth minute when Matty Russell dotted down, but play was brought back for a knock-on.
Italy punished that mistake five minutes later when Luke Polselli grounded a pinpoint Radean Robinson kick through with Jack Campagnolo converting.
Some Liam Hood magic almost got the Bravehearts back on level terms but stern Italian defence kept the hooker out. And Italy once more punished Scotland with Dean Parata burrowing his way over on 23 minutes.
The Italians should have had another just before the break following a stellar move from right to left, but Jake Maizen dropped the ball with the line begging.
That being said, things went from bad to worse for the Bravehearts with Dale Ferguson being sent to the sinbin for dangerous contact on Daniel Atkinson.
Maizen did, however, get his try immediately after the break, forcing his way through two tacklers to go in at the corner with video referee Robert Hicks giving the Italian winger the green light after numerous views. Campagnolo converted expertly from the touchline for an 18-0 lead.
Italy and Maizen had a second of the half shortly after when a superb last tackle play by Polselli found the winger in the corner. Campagnolo missed his first conversion of the afternoon.
The Bravehearts tried their might and Bailey Hayward almost registered Scotland’s first points with a neat chip and chase, but the halfback knocked on.
And yet again Scotland were taken apart when Maizen got his hat-trick on 74 minutes as the winger ran round some soft defence to run 95 metres and cap off a wonderful Italian performance. Campagnolo converted for a 28-0 lead.
Summing up their Bravehearts nickname, Scotland continued until the end and finally breached the Italian line through Lachlan Walmsley after great work by Euan Aitken. Ryan Brierley missed the conversion to round off the scoring at 28-4.
Scotland
7 Ryan Brierley, 5 Lachlan Walmsley, 23 Bayley Liu, 4 Keiran Buchanan, 2 Matty Russell, 6 Bailey Hayward, 19 Calum Gahan, 10 Sam Luckley, 9 Liam Hood, 8 Logan Bayliss-Brow, 11 Euan Aitken, 12 Kane Linnett, 13 James Bell. Subs (all used): 3 Ben Hellewell, 14 Kyle Schneider, 15 Luke Bain, 24 Dale Ferguson. 18th man: Jack Teanby
Tries: Walmsley
Goals: Brierley 0/1
Italy
1 Luke Polselli, 2 Richard Lepori, 4 Ethan Natoli, 3 Daniel Atkinson, 5 Jake Maizen, 6 Jack Campagnolo, 7 Radean Robinson, 15 Luca Moretti, 9 Dean Parata, 10 Anton Iaria, 12 Brenden Santi, 11 Ryan King, 13 Nathan Brown. Subs (all used): 14 Joey Tramontara, 16 Gioele Celerino, 19 Luke Hodge, 20, Jack Colovatti, 18th man: Kyle Pickering
Tries: Polselli, Parata, Maizen 3
Goals: Campagnolo 5/6
Half-time: 0-12
Referee: Todd Smith (Australia)
