Scotland - 33 Italy 25 The relief of Scotland's supporters in Edinburgh was as palpable as that of its football followers in Glasgow
But the impression Italy left here was that they are no longer the Six Nations equivalent of Iceland. Italy may have lost their 18th game in 20 since they were admitted to the competition at the turn of the century. They are doing more than making up the numbers, though.
"Our objective this season was to have a win and gain the respect of our peers and not to concede penalties," said Italy's coach John Kirwan.
"There's still a lot of work to do leading up to the World Cup and we're growing and developing, but we need to win matches in these situations."
Italy are still leaking too many tries, but their former ill-discipline has gone, they are fitter and more competitive.
Italy spent most of the second half on the attack and, but for a breakaway try just past the hour by Chris Paterson, could have recorded their first win in the championship away from Rome.
The Italians were again without their two most influential players of recent times, Diego Dominguez and Mauro Bergamasco, but Ramiro Pez, an Argentinian like Dominguez, has looked in the last two games a outhalf of real quality. As he did against France he scored a neat try and kicked intelligently from hand and ground.
Pez's display overshadowed that of his opposite number, Gregor Townsend, and again opened up the Scottish outhalf debate. There is a growing clamour for Paterson to be given the number 10 shirt but the wing is not playing outhalf for his district, Edinburgh.
Townsend had one of his signature games on Saturday. There was the sublime, such as the long pass that gave James McLaren his early try, and the ridiculous, such as his woeful kicking to touch.
Scotland, though, achieved their main ambition of winning by running in some tries at the end of a flat campaign when before Saturday only Wales's line had been crossed. Paterson and Kenny Logan have been largely redundant, but the wings, and Glenn Metcalfe at full back, at last had the opportunities to run at opponents.
Paterson's second-half try was a beauty, Simon Taylor breaking off the back of a scrum to give him a well-timed pass on the right-hand touchline and Paterson chipping over Gert Peens and gathering the kick to plunge over.
SCOTLAND: Metcalfe; Paterson, McLaren, Craig, Logan; Townsend, Redpath (capt); Smith, Bulloch (Russell, 74), Douglas, Murray (Grimes, 59), Hines, White (Beattie, 42), Mower, Taylor. Tries: White, McLaren, Logan, Paterson. Cons: Paterson 2. Pens: Paterson 3.
ITALY: Mirco Bergamasco; Vaccari (Peens, h-t), Masi, Raineri, Dallan; Pez, Troncon (capt); Lo Cicero, Festuccia, Martinez (Castrogiovanni, 53), Bezzi, Giacheri (Dellape, 74), D Rossi, Persico; Phillips (Palmer, 57). Tries: Bergamasco, Pez, Palmer. Cons: Pez 2. Pens: Pez 2.
Referee: D McHugh (Ireland).
