Brunel slams Italy after Scotland loss

Aug 30, 2015 - 3:05 AM Italy coach Jacques Brunel has questioned his side's commitment as they slumped to their heaviest-ever defeat against Scotland in their penultimate World Cup warm-up match at Murrayfield on Saturday.

Scotland thumped the Italians 48-7 and Brunel was at a loss to explain the performance on a ground where they beat the Scots 22-19 in last season's Six Nations Championship.

But the Frenchman promised to correct the worrying deficiencies as the Azzurri prepare to face Wales in Cardiff on September 5, a fortnight ahead of their World Cup opener against France at Twickenham.

The heavy defeat surpassed a 47-15 loss in a 2003 World Cup warm up at Murrayfield as Italy's record reverse against Scotland.

It came just seven days after they had been beaten just 16-12 by Vern Cotter's side on home ground in Turin and Brunel said: "I really don't understand what happened today (Saturday). You should probably ask the players because today they joined the field with low physicality.

"We will need to go into the next week with a positive approach, otherwise the Rugby World Cup will be tough."

Scotland controlled the match from the start in front of a record crowd for a World Cup warm-up at Murrayfield of 43,831.

Winger Sean Lamont and Tim Visser each scored two tries, the others coming from flanker John Barclay, who was making his first international start for two years, and centre Mark Bennett.

However, Scotland coach Cotter was reluctant to shower praise on his side.

"We're improving but there's certainly a lot more to be done. We need to step it up again," said the New Zealander.

Scotland play their final warm-up match against France in Paris next Saturday and open their World Cup campaign against Japan at Kingsholm in Gloucester on September 23.

Source: AAP