Here’s the full match report
Steve Borthwick is giving us his thoughts.
“It was a couple of steps forward, but there were some things to work on. I would’ve liked our ruck speed to be quicker, but tactically we did have some strong elements and saw some players off the bench contribute, with Alex (Mitchell) and Henry (Arundell) combining to score. We have to build a squad where people can come in and go out and the core of it is a team that still does well.”
Owen Farrell is talking to ITV.
“It felt a better performance, as it would be a week on in our new journey. There’s loads more to go, but it’s a step in the right direction. We started off making sure we were fighting for it and showing the togetherness.”
Player of Match, Ollie Lawrence is here.
“Together we did very well today, it was a massive step forward. The progression is getting there and we feel we’re getting better and better. I try to carry hard and keep my head down, today I tried to relax and do what I’m best at and listened to the boys around me. This was a performance we wanted to make the fans proud of us, we’ll keep working hard”
The England PR officer will be delighted that the training has been fully taken on board by the lads, if Ollie is anything to go by.
“If England get a steady and generous supply of penalties - say, from every scrum, for example - they can maul and bash the ball over from 5m out.” says James Cavell, “Beyond that, I’m not sure anyone is any wiser.”
It’s a great conundrum that regardless of form coming in and performance on the day, England beat Italy comfortably for what is now 24 games. Having said that, the England selection this week feels a better way to go for Borthwick and he will be pleased with the likes of Lawrence, Ludlam and Chessum’s contrinbutions. Other than that, this is pretty much the performance and result England fans would’ve expected under Jones.
Italy will be upset they couldn’t get more from this game as when the put some properly aligned phases together they caused England some problems.
FULL TIME! England 31 - 14 Italy
80 mins. England take a scrum on their own 22 and Farrell bunts it out to win the match
78 mins. Ollie Lawrence wins a jackal turnover when his chest was 12 inches off the floor at full stretch for the ball, which suggest he may not have been supporting his own weight, because physics. The ref seems unconcerned however and it’s play on. The play breaks down on the next phase.
75 mins. Marcus Smith has an attempted grubber blocked and Capuozzo hacks it on for 30 metres, forcing Isiekwe to put it in touch. Italy win the lineout, but the imprecision is creeping back in as the ball goes to ground as they look to spread it wide.
TRY! England 31 - 14 Italy (Henry Arundell)
71 mins. The England pack have a long slow maul that rumbles into the Italy 22 and once the ball breaks, Mitchell has a stepping run across the line and pops to Arundell on the left touchline to take a couple of steps and score his first try.
Farrell hits the post with the conversion and it bounces the wrong side.
Marcus Smith is on for Henry Slade in the backs, while Jack Walker replaces Jamie George in the pack.
Updated
67 mins. Brex has some space to run into and throws 5 consecutive dummies for some reason, none of which are bought in any way. However, from the recycled possession Allan fires a lovely cross-kick to Ruzza, who is lurking on the right wing, steps inside Slade but frustratingly then loses the ball forward in the next tackle.
Nick Isiekwe is on for Alex Dombrandt
TRY! England 26 - 14 Italy (Alessandro Fusco)
63 mins. A snappy first phase move from Italy puts Mennoncello in behind the defence who is held by Steward short of the line, but the speed of ball recycling means Fusco can snipe and score from the base.
Allan slots the conversion.
Updated
62 mins. Italy are away up the left touchline through Bruno, who feeds Capuozzo and then Varney. England look disorganised by get back in shape sharpish to frustrate the visitors.
Alessandro Fusco replaces Stephen Varney
59 mins. Ollie Lawrence has a big crash-ball carry off the lineout, splintering Tommy Allan along the way before he travels 20 metres but unfortunately loses the ball as Capuozzo comes in to tackle him.
Alex Mitchell replaces Van Poortvliet.
Big moment for Italy as Jake Polledri makes his return after a year out, replacing Lorenzo Cannone.
56 mins. From a scrum just in their own 22 Italy have a free kick for early engagement by England. Allan clears it to touch, but it will invite more England possession.
Mako Vunipola and Henry Arundell have replaced Ellis Genge and Hassell-Collins.
Updated
54 mins. Jack Willis is off, replaced by Ben Earl as Italy clear the ball aawy from their line via a Varney kick.
YELLOW CARD! Simone Ferrari
The replacement prop is straight back to the bench for a bit.
PENALTY TRY! England 26 - 7 Italy
49 mins. Ellis Genge flies up and is bumped off by the incomporable Negri, who hit the England prop so hard he spun on his back and booted Sinckler in the face and forces him off for a blood bin. Replaced by Dan Cole.
There was and England penalty later in the phase and from the lineout England run a beautiful first phase pattern to… only joking, it’s a catch, drive and penalty try after Ferrari collapses the maul.
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46 mins. England’s come straight back at Italy, and a huge hit on Farrell by Negri leads to the two grappling on the ground after they both lash out post-tackle. In the wake of the tackle, there was a knock-on by Steward, do Italy will have to play out from a scrum.
Pierre Bruno has replaced Luca Morisi.
Updated
TRY! England 19 - 7 Italy (Marco Riccioni)
43 mins. Italy have an early chance to get into this game, with an attack from lineout in the England half. It looks a little more dynamic than the first period, but the home defence again do a good job of containing them.
The ball comes right and it’s that man Capuozzo who takes a short pop and is suddenly free, racing for the right corner before being hauled down. The ball is recycled and worked back towards the posts and finally Riccioni forces over with a short carry.
Allan converts it
Updated
SECOND HALF!
Owen Farrell restarts the match and Italy will continue without Michele Lamaro, who has failed his HIA.
A very England vs Italy game this. The home side physically and organisationally dominant and grinding out scores through the most basic forward plays from lineouts.
Italy are having an awful day. Crowley needs to give them some shape to attack around the ruck combined something resembling a territorial kicking game, because the wide game with the form of a blancmange is playing right into England’s hands.
The result of all this, is a terrible game of rugby on a Sunday afternoon.
HALF TIME! England 19 - 0 Italy
PEEEP! England’s last attack is knocked on to bring the half to a close
Updated
39 mins. Italy have some possession around halfway, and settle into the lateral patterns that are line spoon-feeding England midfield defensive rush. Inevitably it breaks down as they run out of patience, space and options, leading Brex to chuck a pass into touch.
Half-time can’t come soon enough for the Azzuri
TRY! England 19 - 0 Italy (Jamie George)
36 mins. All of that previous stuff happened on an advantage to England, so they rinse and repeat the catch-drive-score from the lineout, this time George grounding after Henry Slade ran it to help with the pushing.
Farrell misses the two.
Updated
DISALLOWED TRY! England 14 - 0 Italy (Jack Van Poortvliet)
35 mins. Malins steps and breaks through a gap in the 13 channel and passes left to the scrum-half to run in unopposed.
But wait! Ollie Lawrence pushed Ziuliani in back play and the ref says it affected the defensive cover. NO TRY!
34 mins. England’s ninth lineout of the match is pulled into a maul on the Italy 22. Lawrence has another big carry, something he’s done well so far, allowing Van Poortvliet to have a dart from the quick recycle before Farrell tickles a grubber in-goal that Italy carry out of play.
31 mins. Italy have reached the phase of their performance where Fischetti is kicking for touch at second receiver in his own 22. In his defence, the prop did at least find touch. They continue to be completely all over the place with their shape, organisation and gameplan.
England are the better team, but that try was very much fruit of the poison tree of the Willis penalty decision a few minutes ago. Italy have a hard enough job to do without territory being given to their opponents like that.
TRY! England 14 - 0 Italy (Ollie Chessum)
28 mins. The home side opt to tap and go from the latest penalty which allows repeat short carries working left to right towards the post. Genge picks and goes before popping to Chessum to crash over.
Farrell converts.
Updated
YELLOW CARD! Lorenzo Cannone
27 mins. Another catch and drive from England, with Italy again being penalised for maul-mischief. The ref has had enough and shows a card to Cannone for the repeated team infringements.
24 mins. Michele Lamaro needs an HIA and is replace by Manuel Ziuliani.
Jack Willis wins a jackal penalty, which was entire incorrectly given as he didn’t clearly release the person he’d tackled before going for the ball.
This penalty puts England up into the Italian 22 and the visitors are penalised again, tis time for incorrect maul entry.
21 mins. Kevin Sinfield will be nodding with satisfaction in the stand as his defensive system shuts down ten-plus phases of Italian attack around the 5m line. Eventually, Jack Willis holds up a runner with a choke tackle and England clear the ball.
Updated
19 mins. Lamaro is up and continuing, and his first job is to be part of an Italian lineout on the England 22. Negri leaps and grabs it like a terrifyingly muscular salmon, and Chessum was all over him in the air, which the ref decided was worth a penalty.
Itlay will throw in again, this time from 5m out.
16 mins. Eleven phases for Italy have achieved roughly minus-20 metres as the England defence advances on their ponderous and disjointed play. The zip and shape from the France game is nowhere to be seen so far, and to make it worse it looks like Lamaro is injured after he was (legally) crunched by Itoje.
Italy did a horrible job of defending that maul, and have been under the boot in their own have for the whole match thus far. England have been patient and have a reward for this.
TRY! England 7 - 0 Italy (Jack Willis)
13 mins. A kickable penalty is given away for Italy sealing off again, but Farrell rejects the posts, goes for the corner and a standard catch and drive from the lineout allows Willis to roll off the back and score.
Farrell slots the extra two.
Updated
10 mins. Italy tidy up from the scrum, but they can only find touch still in their own half and this invites more England possession and territory. The latest platform for the home side is scrum that rapidly goes backwards, but Dombrandt deals with the mess.
There’s another angles kick into the in-goal that this time Allan grounds.
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6 mins. Ludlam claims a lineout and off first phase England peel right with the ball going through hands before Slade bunts a grubber into the Italian in-goal. It’s a foot race between Padovanit and Malins, and the Azzuri wing only just gets to first to ground.
Italy will have to exit from a tricky scrum five.
4 mins. The Italian lineout secures the ball on the England 22, but their ruck is not very secure and this allows Itoje to counter-ruck and force Italy to seal off the ball. Early intensity from England is impressive, but the Azzuri need to do a better job of organising their attacking breakdown.
2 mins. Ollie Chessum claims the ball from the kick-off and after one more short carry Van Poortvliet box kicks the ball back to the visitors. Chessum’s next contribution is to be in the way when Varney tries to get the ball at the ruck and Italy will have an early penalty to kick to touch.
KICK OFF!
Tommy Allan puts his foot through the ball and the game is on
Meanwhile, back at the rugby, the teams are on the pitch in their tracksuits anthem jackets and we’ll soon have a game to watch.
“Have you seen Blade Runner? Is this a joke??? Seriously, how can you ask this question?” demands Francesco.
Well, that didn’t take long, did it?
“I have seen Blade Runner,” says Gary Smith, “but as someone who hasn’t, do you attract an inordinate number of people who froth at the mouth with a scary amount of enthusiasm? It is a good film, but it is also very cultish and seems to be a magnet for a certain type of genteel obsessive”
I’ve never had that response, Gary, at least not yet…
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Pre-match Reading
Ollie Hassell-Collins has kept his place this week, and you read more about him and his unique stylings here…
Officials
There was some of the usual controversy in the two matches yesterday, here’s who is looking to achieve the completely reasonable and not at all daft demands from the viewing public that all decisions are 100% right today.
Referee: James Doleman (New Zealand)
Assistant Referee 1: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Assistant Referee 2: Tual Trainini (France)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (France)
Teams
Steve Borthwick makes some major changes in the backs, most notably moving captain Owen Farrell to 10 and putting the most recent long-term incumbent, Marcus Smith, on the bench. This brings in Ollie Lawrence and Henry Slade as a fresh centre partnership, with the outside backs unchanged. Record men’s cap holder Ben Youngs leaves the squad entirely as Alex Mitchell provides scrum-half back-up from the bench, and exciting wing Henry Arundell is back among the subs. In the pack, Jack Willis replaces Ben Curry at openside, who is out of the 23.
How many of these moves indicate a permanent change of approach will be seen as the tournament progresses.
Italy have added Edoardo Padovani and Marco Riccioni to the starting XV, with Pierre Bruno and Simone Ferrari making their way to the bench
ENGLAND: Freddie Steward; Max Malins, Henry Slade, Ollie Lawrence, Ollie Hassell-Collins; Owen Farrell (captain), Jack van Poortvliet; Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Kyle Sinckler, Maro Itoje, Ollie Chessum, Lewis Ludlam, Jack Willis, Alex Dombrandt
Replacements: Jack Walker, Mako Vunipola, Dan Cole, Nick Isiekwe, Ben Earl, Alex Mitchell, Marcus Smith, Henry Arundell
ITALY: Ange Capuozzo, Edoardo Padovani, Juan Ignacio Brex, Luca Morisi, Tommaso Menoncello; Tommaso Allan, Stephen Varney; Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Marco Riccioni, Niccolò Cannone, Federico Ruzza, Sebastian Negri, Michele Lamaro, Lorenzo Cannone.
Replacements: Luca Bigi, Federico Zani, Simone Ferrari, Edoardo Iachizzi, Jake Polledri, Manuel Zuliani, Alessandro Fusco, Pierre Bruno
Preamble
A symbol of our times is the dubious social media phenomenon “DHOTYA” - the Didn’t Happen Of The Year Awards, where nominations are taken for events shared on Twitter and the like that people doubt have occurred. An example might be a parent who states their four-year-old suggested, unprompted, that the world should try anarcho-syndicalism after seeing their friend in school with holes in their shoes or something. Some believe this has led to a toxic environment, where the first reaction to any inspiring or amusing story or statement is to accuse people of lying.
Well, we’re having none of this toxic debate around here, so here’s a list of things that have most definitely never happened:
Me watching Blade Runner
Adele pronouncing the word “love” correctly in a song
James Martin not looking smug while cooking
Italy beating England at Rugby Union Football
It is that final point that Kieran Crowley’s visitors to Twickenham today will be trying once more to address; with last week’s near heroics vs France suggesting the Azzuri are in their best position to do so for years. However, this forgets not only the history of results, but also the nature of them, because no matter how poor England look (and they didn’t look that poor last week, let’s be honest) they always batter Italy. Flat-track bullies nonpareil.
Despite all the genuine positives around Italy at present, winning here is a tall order.
Just imagine if they did, though…
