One day Italy will beat England at rugby union. Admittedly it has been more than a decade since the Azzurri finished within a score of their opponents but, as Steve Borthwick knows from experience, the possibility can never be entirely discounted. When he captained England at the old Stadio Flaminio in 2008 and 2010, the margins were a stuttering four and five points respectively.
All connected with the current England squad, however, are focused on looking ahead rather than backwards. The World Cup is gone, the last few Six Nations championships are underwhelming history and there is a subtly different feel in the clear, bright Roman air. Could it even be that England will finally look to play more proactive rugby and let the handbrake off the go-faster chariot?
Clearly the necessary balance has to be struck – quick ruck ball does not just magically appear, vigorous defence is similarly fundamental – but listening to Jamie George, the most engaging of new England captains, there is unquestionably a new mindset in the dressing room. George is a huge cricket fan and, notwithstanding the second Test scorecard in India, wants his recast England side to take a fresh guard and display a good deal more positive intent.
Because, while ‘George-ball’ might be overstating it, there is widespread acceptance the ultra-conservative approach of the past year needs upgrading. Loosen the mental shackles as well and, it is hoped, England’s younger players will be emboldened rather than stifled. “I’m a cricket fan, and why would I not take inspiration from what Ben Stokes is doing with the England cricket team?” asked George, rhetorically. “You look at the influence he has on young players, allowing them to go out and perform the way they do, creating an environment to allow that. It’s exactly the model that we want.”
Had Marcus Smith not suffered the most untimely of calf injuries or had Borthwick and his lieutenants preferred Fin Smith to start at fly-half instead of George Ford, the message of renewed intent would have been even clearer. With five uncapped players in the 23, nevertheless, George is optimistic England’s supporters will enjoy the Italian dish they are served up, without losing sight of the rawer ingredients. “There have been a lot of questions asked around our attack and how we are going to entertain but, for me, every successful England team has been based around a strong set piece and an aggressive, confrontational defence. Do we have the right people to do that?Absolutely. We want to go after them, we want to be very physical. Whenever you win against Italy, you have a dominant scrum and a dominant maul.”
Those best-laid plans, of course, still need to survive first contact with a motivated enemy. The Italians are not as bad as their World Cup pool defeats suggested; they were just guilty of an oval-ball version of hara-kiri that delivered them headlong into the clutches of the All Blacks and France. Now under the more restrained management of Gonzalo Quesada and with the talented Tommaso Menoncello back fit at centre, George is not naive enough to foresee a gentle welcome. “We’re expecting them to come out all guns blazing, with smoke coming out of their ears, and a huge amount of emotion.”
Either way, it will be an auspicious day for the aforementioned Smith, Fraser Dingwall, Ethan Roots, Chandler Cunningham-South and Manny Feyi-Waboso, all hoping to make an immediate impact. The 24-year-old Dingwall already has his initiation song planned – Islands in the Stream, if you’re wondering – but channelling his inner Dolly Parton comes second to filling the big boots of Manu Tuilagi at inside centre. While the Northampton man is a smaller breed of 12, he believes there are other ways to operate. “I’m not going to be a massive ball-carrying 12 like Manu. I think it’s more about creating a balance in the midfield as a whole and how centres can complement each other.”
Roots, similarly, will be invited to supply the hard, grafting edge that allows Sam Underhill and Ben Earl to concentrate on other areas, with Cunningham-South on hand to bring further second-half dynamism. It will also be fascinating to see if Feyi-Waboso’s athleticism and power through contact can be instantly transferred to the Test arena less than 12 months after featuring in National League One for Taunton Titans.
George, for one, is looking forward to what he admits will be an emotional occasion personally. Above and beyond moistened eyes during the anthems, though, his priority is for England to aim that bit higher. “We’re not saying it’s absolutely fine to go out there and make shedloads of mistakes and the same mistakes over and over again, but it’s OK for things not to be perfect. What we want is to have the courage to go and the courage to take people on.” To shake off the shackles of the past, in other words, and accelerate towards a rosier future for English players and followers alike.
