Italy condemned Scotland to the dreaded Wooden Spoon at the towering Stadio Olimpico on Saturday as the Azzurri ran out deserving 13-6 winners in the final game on the final day of this season's RBS Six Nations.
On a particularly beautiful Rome day there were no excuses for a poor spectacle but not surprisingly such a spectacle came to pass with the sides going in level at half-time - Mirco Bergamasco opening the scoring for the hosts on 10 minutes with a well-struck penalty before Greig Laidlaw replied for Andy Robinson's beleaguered charges 25 minutes later.
In between those two highlights, if that is the correct word, Bergamasco missed a penalty following a truly dire attempt and the winger did likewise just before the interval.
The second-half could only be better and Italy showed their intent early on as Giovanbattista Venditti scythed through the Scotland defence for the first, and only, try of the game much to the delight of the partisan home crowd.
Fly-half Kris Burton added the extras and with three minutes to play the Brisbane native put the final nail in Scotland's coffin with a sweetly struck drop-goal as the Azzurri made it one win from five.