Special moment: Jack Willis celebrates scoring for England on his Test return
(Picture: Action Images via Reuters)Steve Borthwick is cuter than he looks, on the strength of the kidology before this 31-14 win over Italy that kick-started England’s new era.
The new England head coach insisted the Red Rose side he inherited from the sacked Eddie Jones were also-rans in both the scrum and maul.
And yet, here England were, getting back to winning ways – and scoring four of their five tries from tight-five dominance.
A resurgent Italy put the scrum and maul squeeze on defending Six Nations champions France last weekend, with Les Bleus boasting one of the meanest packs in the tournament.
Borthwick’s new-look England were in no mood to mess around at Twickenham after last weekend’s 29-23 reverse to Scotland.
Ollie Lawrence offered a battering-ram performance to wrestle first refusal on England’s problem No12 shirt, while Jack Willis starred at openside, surely to nail down his status as a genuine starter.
Toulouse back-rower Willis, Ollie Chessum and Jamie George all crossed through potent pack play, with England even squeezing the Azzurri for a penalty try.
London Irish speed merchant Henry Arundell toasted his Six Nations and Twickenham debut with a score off the bench, but England’s win was ground in pack-based granite.
Saracens’ Marco Riccioni and Alessandro Fusco crossed for Kieran Crowley’s stubborn Italy, but England largely delivered on the “non-negotiables” that boss Borthwick and defence coach Kevin Sinfield admitted had been missing against Scotland.
Whether England can realise this promise against the tougher foes of Wales, France and Ireland remains to be seen. But this, at least, is a start, even if a week too late.
England outmuscled and outmanoeuvred the Azzurri from the off. Lawrence threatened to bust the line with his first touch – then did exactly that with his second.
The hosts dominated the scrum, winning penalties from the get-go, then bullied Italy in the maul too. A facile lineout catch, peel and drive yielded the first try, with Willis claiming a score to cap what would go on to become a stunning performance.
Italy lost Lorenzo Cannone to a yellow card just before the half-hour mark, and England capitalised on their numerical advantage. Ellis Genge picked, went and popped from a ruck on the tryline, and Chessum powered home.
Max Malins then conjured the flourish of the half with a sublime dummy as effective as to send opposite number Tommaso Menoncello to the bar for a, well, Limoncello.
Malins raced on and sent Jack van Poortvliet under the posts, only for Lawrence’s innocuous trip on Manuel Zuliani to see the fine effort chalked off.
No matter for England, however, as the hosts scored straight away from another lineout maul. This time hooker George popped up last with the ball, but not before a bit of fist pumping while still lying on the turf.
England took that 19-0 lead into half-time, only to return in sloppy fashion. Saracens prop Riccioni drove in for Italy’s first points against England since 2021, given last season’s 33-0 dismissal in Rome.
Tommaso Allan converted to hand Italy hope, but a frustrated England hit straight back onto the attack. Seb Negri hit Farrell with a piledriver to leave the two scuffling on the ground, but a perfectly legal tackle led rightly to no repercussions.
Kyle Sinckler copped one of Genge’s boots in his face to head for the blood bin next, with Dan Cole stepping into the fray. England notched a penalty try from another driven maul, to secure the bonus point and push their lead to 26-7.
Simone Ferrari was sent to the sin bin for his troubles, and however improbable, the prop’s yellow card put the skids on any Italy comeback. Italy did claim a second score through Fusco, who nipped home after Menoncello scythed England’s midfield.
Wing Menoncello’s break appeared to be the fruit of at least one block, but unlike with Van Poortvliet’s effort in the first half, here the officials refused to act. Both were soft, but here was the exact lack of consistency that plagues officiating.
As the game broke up an increasingly ragged England were put under continued pressure by Italy’s commitment to width and pace. But just when Italy hoped to turn the screw, England struck, through starlet London Irish wing Arundell.
The 20-year-old settled this clash once and for all with his first meaningful touch, latching onto replacement scrum-half Alex Mitchell’s pass to dot down.
