ASCOLI, Italy: Italy beat Samoa for the first time in their history 24-6 to end a 13-match losing streak here yesterday.

Not only did Italy come into this game on a poor run but on Thursday they also lost influential captain Sergio Parisse to a cruciate knee ligament injury.

And yet from the get-go they quickly established their superiority over the touring Pacific Islanders and the result never looked in doubt.

Italy sprung a suprise early on when Mirco Bergamasco stepped up to take their first kick at goal on seven minutes, giving the hosts a 3-0 lead.

Both Luke McLean and Craig Gower had been shakey on kicks last week against South Africa and Bergamasco’s first effort suggested coach Nick Mallett might have found the solution to his problems.

Just a minute later former Australian under-21 international McLean scored his first try for Italy.

After picking up a poor clearance kick just outside the Samoa 22, he went on a mazy run, beating five men, three of which should have stopped him, to score just by the posts.

Bergamasco’s radar went askew this time, though, as he missed a fairly easy convertion but Samoa pulled back three points on 12 minutes through a Titi Esau penalty. Bergamasco landed another penalty from in front of the posts on 21 minutes and two minutes from half-time Gower took over kicking duties to land a long-range penalty from inside the Italian half.

But Elau responded with a kick of his own in the last minute as Italy turned around at the break with a 14-6 lead.

Italy began the second half well as scrum-half Tito Tebaldi hit a sweet drop goal 10 minutes in to edge the hosts further ahead.

Italy’s hopes of securing their first win against Samoa in four attempts were helped on the hour when Henry Fa’afili was red-carded for a dreadful high tackle on McLean as Italy were attacking inside the Samoa 22.

Once again, though, Bergamasco could not take advantage, missing his second simple kick of the afternoon.

And 11 minutes from time Gower had another shot from the halfway line but that two missed the target.

The 14 men finally crumbled three minutes from time on a scrum five yards out from their line, giving away a penalty try as they turned and broke up the scrum with Italy driving towards their line. Bergamasco landed the convertion from under the posts to set the seal on an important victory for the hosts.

In Edinburgh, injury-depleted Argentina pipped Scotland 9-6 with a last-gasp drop goal at Murrayfield yesterday to record their first win in this year’s November internationals.

The Pumas, beaten by England and Wales on the last two weekends, were down 6-0 at halftime but showed more in attack in the second half and drew level with two penalties by Martin Rodriguez, who then broke Scottish hearts with a 77th minute drop goal.

Scotland were going for their second successive win over the Pumas following seven defeats in a row against them, and entered the game in good form following victories over Fiji and, for the first time in 27 years, Australia.

Two early penalties by Phil Godman gave them the lead but was left rueing his inaccuracy as the flyhalf missed two further chances.

Meanwhile, six Nations Grand Slam champions Ireland ended their year on a suitably high note yesterday with a commendable 15-10 victory over world and Tri-Nations champions South Africa for their third successive home win over the visitors.

Ireland’s young fly-half Jonathan Sexton - preferred to 93-times capped Ronan O’Gara - kicked all their points while Schalk Burger got the only try of the match for the Springboks, who ended their long season on a low note with just one win in five matches on their northern hemisphere tour. The opening few minutes saw more action than both England and Argentina managed in a whole match a fortnight ago as a knocked on ball from a promising move by Ireland’s back division ended up with Morne Steyn missing a drop goal.

A few minutes later and some of the bitterness left over from the Lions tour of South Africa spilled over with fullback and man of the match Robert Kearney getting involved with Heinrich Brussow.

South Africa had all the early pressure but a mistake in midfield led to Ireland being given a penalty in the 10th minute and Sexton converted it to give the hosts the lead.

The Springboks bounced back and Burger burst through to possibly become the least welcome try scorer at Croke Park - as it was his gouging of Irish winger Luke Fitgerald in the first Lions test that earned him an eight week ban - and he exacerbated his unpopularity by kicking the ball into the stand earning himself a round booing by the normally genteel crowd.

Steyn converted to make it 7-3. The Irish were not helped by the fact centre Paddy Wallace was forced to play on for five minutes when he was patently injured and his replacement Gordon D’Arcy was waiting on the sidelines but referee Nigel Owens allowed play to carry on which resulted in Steyn landing a drop goal.