Mirco Bergamasco kicked eight penalties as Italy beat Fiji 24-16 on Saturday to end their autumn international series with a victory.

Italy had not won a game since beating Scotland 16-12 at home in the Six Nations in February.

The win was vital for the Azzurri following defeats to Argentina and Australia while Fiji can look back to their draw against Wales last week as the main fruit of their tour to the northern hemisphere.

Fiji had a strong start to the game, running at their hosts from the off and the first 10 minutes was played amost exclusively deep inside Italian territory.

The Pacific Islanders deservedly got their breakthrough on nine minutes after going through the phases and pressuring the Italian line with hooker Talemaitoga Tuapati picking up and going from a few yards out, powering through Fabio Ongaro and Edoardo Gori to score.

Seremaia Bai knocked over the conversion but three minutes later Mirco Bergamasco hit a penalty for Italy.

A lot had been said before the game about Italy prop Martin Castrogiovanni's scrummaging and he forced a penalty from Fijian loosehead Campese Ma'afu which Bergamasco kicked on 20 minutes.

However, Albert Vulivuli made a scything break through the midfield and got within a metre of the Italian line but as Fiji recycled the ball, Vulivuli himself failed to read scrum-half Nemia Kenatale's flicked pass inside and the chance went begging, although Italy were penalised anyway and Bai kicked the penalty.

Another penalty from the fly-half and one from Bergamasco brought the score to 13-9 but then Castrogiovanni was sin-binned for repeated infringements and Bai kicked Fiji into a 16-9 halftime lead.

Italy came out with added vigour and purpose after the break despite their numerical disadvantage and after a flowing move in the backs that was stopped down the right, Bergamasco kicked another three points.

Castrogiovanni came back on to immediately force another penalty from the scrum, which Bergamasco kicked, and on the hour the left-winger kicked his sixth penalty of the afternoon to put Italy in front for the first time.

Two more Bergamasco penalties late on gave Italy breathing space and they held out comfortably for the victory.

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