Robinson ponders future after Scottish whitewash
A first whitewash since 2004 extended their winless sequence to seven — the worst run since 1998.
Robinson, who is under contract until the 2015 World Cup, insisted he would reflect before determining his future.
But he has already begun a coaching overhaul and the Rome loss was the last match for Graham Steadman and Gregor Townsend, the defence and attack coach, respectively.
Scott Johnson will join as senior assistant coach and Matt Taylor as defence coach in appointments which suggest Robinson is committed to the cause despite the damning series of results.
His number eight David Denton hopes he stays on.
“We all hope he’ll stay. I think we can build something special under him, with the group we’ve got.
“I think we can be a force to be reckoned with.”
Mirco Bergamasco and Greig Laidlaw traded penalties in a tame first-half but a converted Giovanbattista Venditti try proved the match-winner as only another shot from Laidlaw and a late Kris Burton drop-goal troubled the scorers.
Scorers for Italy: Try: Venditti. Con: Burton. Pen: Bergamasco. Drop: Burton
Scorers for Scotland: Pen: Laidlaw (two).
Yellow cards: N de Luca (39), J Hamilton (56), A Zanni (66).
ITALY: A Masi, G Venditti, T Benvenuti, G Canale, M Bergamasco, K Burton, E Gori; A Lo Cicero, F Ongaro, M Castrogiovanni, Q Geldenhuys, M Bortolami, A Zanni, R Barbieri, S Parisse (capt).
Replacements: G Toniolatti for Canale (69), T Botes for Gori (66), L Cittadini for Lo Cicero (52), T D’Apice for Ongaro (59), J Furno for Geldenhuys (75), M Vosawai for Barbieri (56), S Favaro for Botes (71).
SCOTLAND: S Hogg, M Evans, N de Luca, G Morrison, S Lamont, G Laidlaw, M Blair; J Welsh, R Ford (capt), G Cross, R Gray, J Hamilton, J Barclay, R Rennie, D Denton.
Replacements: R Jackson for Laidlaw (69), E Murray for Cross (52), A Kellock for Gray (54), R Vernon for Barclay (69).
Att: 72,354
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland).
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