KEY POINTS:
ST ETIENNE - Peerless goalkicker Chris Paterson sent Scotland into the quarter-finals when he landed six penalties to secure an 18-16 victory over Italy in a nervy, rain-affected Pool C showdown on Saturday.
Paterson, who had landed nine out of nine conversions in Scotland's first three games, continued his perfect run with six out of six in St Etienne.
It proved just enough against an Italian team who scored the only try of the match but will rue a catalogue of errors that ensured their long wait for a first quarter-final appearance goes on.
Scotland finished runners up to New Zealand and will play either France, Argentina or Ireland in Paris in the last eight while Italy, who had high hopes after beating the Scots in Edinburgh in the Six Nations this year, go home.
After the breathless excitement of the Wales v Fiji game earlier in the day, this Pool C encounter was a much tighter, affair as wet, slippery conditions encouraged a more conservative approach.
Scotland moved into an early 6-0 lead with two Paterson penalties but Italy then enjoyed a period of dominance and scored 10 unanswered points despite being reduced to 14 men when Mauro Bergamasco was sin-binned for killing the ball.
A soaring Ramiro Pez up-and-under caused chaos in the Scottish ranks and Alessandro Troncon, captaining the side in the absence of the injured Marco Bortolami, scampered through for a try on his 101st appearance.
David Bortolussi converted and then slotted a penalty for a 10-6 lead.
Italy though lost their way and their discipline and Mirco Bergamasco escaped punishment, but can certainly expect a citing, after tripping first five-eighths Dan Parks.
They had picked the wrong team to offend against too as Paterson, switched to the wing for this match, landed four more penalties either side of halftime to turn the deficit into an 18-10 lead.
The Italians, though, fought back tenaciously and Bortolussi, who had missed two earlier attempts, was accurate with two more to make it 18-16 with 20 minutes remaining.
As the clock ticked down neither team risked anything but Bortolussi had the chance to become the hero with a long-range penalty attempt four minutes from time, but sent it wide.
- REUTERS
