That’s it from me, thanks for your company and chat. Bye
Here’s the full match report for your consideration.
Harry Randall is chatting
“It’s awesome to play in the Six Nations and pleasing to keep them to zero. Few frustrations, but overall a good performance. Credit to the team around me, there was lots of experience helping me out. The breakdown let us down a bit at times and that’s an area we can improve on.”
Man Of The Match, Marcus Smith, is talking to ITV.
“We put a big emphasis on this game and we put ourselves back in the competition this week. We were a bit scrappy in parts, credit to Italy, but scoring that many points is good. I loved paying with Harry Randall, we came through age ranks together so we have a connection. We’ll enjoy tonight, but onto the next game after that.”
A very poor second half. If this game tells us anything it’s that France and Ireland are significantly better than what was on display here from England.
FULL TIME! Italy 0 - 33 England
PEEEEEEEEP! That’s brings us to a close with another comfortable England victory.
80 mins. England are into the Italy half with Steward set free by Smith to take it into the 22. Simonds has a drive then Slade picks and goes from the ruck to ground it on the line while stretching, but it looks like he lost control of it under pressure.
No try.
79 mins. In a outcome as depressing as this game has become, Pettinelli knocks on at the base of the scrum. England fling it wide from deep and are up to halfway.
77 mins. Italy claim a lineout in the England 22. Faiva secures it at the back of the ruck which allows the ball to be flung to Marin who angles a kick towards Ioannes wing, but there’s too much on it and it rolls into touch.
But a penalty advantage was being played and Italy take the scrum on the English five metre line.
75 mins. George Ford is on for Joe Marchant. He will play 12 while Smith stays at stand-off.
Well, that’s certainly novel, I’ll give Jones that.
TRY! Italy 0 - 33 England (Kyle Sinckler)
74 mins. Fusco spills a high ball on his 22 that immediately puts England back on the attack. Malins hit the line on the angle then feeds Sickler the ball who scores.
Smith converts.
Updated
72 mins. Another Italy attack in the 22 leads to another penalty against England, this time Sinckler handling in the ruck. In Italy’s latest attempt to not be on nil, Faiva overthrows the lineout and England clear their lines.
70 mins. Some phases around halfway from England come to an end after Smith is caught isolated in the breakdown. Italy will have a lineout just outside the England 22.
67 mins. Italy have some drives off the lineout to suck the English defence in, but Cowan-Dickie clamps on to win a penalty. Italy’s search for points goes on.
65 mins. England subs.
Ollie Chessum is on for his debut, replacing Tom Curry
Joe Marler replaces Ellis Genge
64 mins. Tom Curry gives away a penalty for off-feet following some consistent phased attack from Italy. Garbisi sends it to the corner.
Italy have never been nilled in a competitive match against England and they will want to prevent it happening here.
61 mins. A couple of England attacks end in errors; the first a knock-on from the Smith and the second a stray pass from Malins into touch. Italy secure possession from the lineout and kick it into the England 22 before Marchant runs it out and then slices it horribly out on the full.
58 mins. Italy go for a trick lineout with the ball pinballed short and back to Faiva. He gets the space to charge towards the line but he’s tackled by Malins and is in touch. Some tactical kicking ensues which Garbisi concludes by chipping a kick he wanted his winger to chase out on the full.
I’m also not sure he let his winger know that’s what he was going to do either.
Updated
57 mins. Ben Youngs’s first contribution is to knock on at the base of the ruck and from the scrum Italy win a penalty for Sinckler collapsing.
Luke Cowan-Dickie replaces Jamie George.
55 mins. Italy subs.
Fecerico Mori is replaced by Leonardo Marin.
Giovanni Pettinelli is on for Sebastian Negri who is stretchered off looking in a bad way.
55 mins. England subs.
Ben Youngs replaces Randall, winning his 114th cap draing him level in appearances with Jason Leonard.
Sam Simmons replaces Isiekwe. That should see Itoje move to lock and Simmons into the back row.
54 mins. Italy are having their best period of the game in attack. They are in the Engand 22 again and the ball comes left to Ioanne to dash for the line, but he’s well shepherded by the England scramble defence. On the next attack it’s yet another handling error that ruins a decent position for them.
51 mins. Hooker Gianmarco Lucchesi is replaced by Epalahame Faiva for Italy
50 mins. Some solid possession is finally secures by Italy in the England 22, the maul for a bit then work some phases. England are offside again so Garbisi attempts and chip into the in-goal, but it runs dead.
Italy have another lineout, but on the resulting possession Dombrandt clamps on the ball to win a turnover penalty.
The home side may feel a little aggrieved as in the previous possession Curry was hugely off his feet over the ball,
48 mins. England are close to running rampant now, this time Slade throws a long pass out to Malins on the right wing who is up to the Italy 22. The home defence scramble and some hard work forces a knock on that makes it’s way to Ioanne who runs forty metres back into the England half. The white defence is offside and Italy will attack from a lineout.
45 mins. Italy decide to perform sub surgery on the scrum with Cherif Traore replacing Fischetti
TRY! Italy 0 - 26 England (Elliot Daly)
44 mins. From the next scrum, Randall finds Smith who fires a miss-pass to Daly running at full pelt up the left touchline who scores in the corner.
Smith pushes a difficult conversion wide.
Updated
41 mins. Fischetti is penalised for collapsing the scrum and from the resulting England lineout they are fizzing with a pacy run from Randall again that breaches the Italian 22. Two phases later a handling errors brings the attack to a stop.
Italy have a tricky scrum to navigate deep in their own territory and they are pushed backwards like buttered sled loaded with soiled nappies. England ask for another scrum.
Second Half!
40 mins. Marcus Smith’s kick-off doesn’t go ten metres. Can’t wait to see how the Second Coming of Jesus (but in Rugby) narrative-mongers spin that one..
England half time sub: Kyle Sinckler is on for Will Stuart
Updated
Half time musings.
Italy would not have zero points if they had just a little bit more composure and precision. Much of the errors that led to lost possession were unforced, and while Coach Crowley can’t control the opposition he will be fuming that what his side can control is a mess. The try before half-time was a killer and again it was down to an daft error.
If the home side can cut some of that out they could get some points on the board, but England are never far away from scoring at all times as their pace of attack and physicality are causing Italy to infringe all over the shop.
England man, Gus Hornsby, offers his take on the first half.
Pretty happy so far @bloodandmud. We are making errors but I'm ok with it because we are trying to really stretch Italy, and making use of broken play. Italy are game but defensive penalties reflect our intent. Everyone's contributing, too. Just gutted Nowell's off, he was on it.
— Guy Hornsby (@GuyHornsby) February 13, 2022
HALF TIME!
PEEEP-PEEEEEP! That’s your lot for now.
TRY! Italy 0 - 21 England (Jamie George)
40 mins. Monty Ioane does a great job of slapping back and Randall bomb, it pops to Varney who for some reason instead of holding it shovels a load of crap forward back to England. Three phases later, the front row union shows the backs how it’s done as Genge in the 13 channel floats a lovely pass to George on the right wing to power over.
Smith converts to end the half.
Updated
38 mins. Toa Halafihi needs an HIA and so is replaced temporarily by Sebastian Negri.
37 mins. In a move that surprises no-one, England send it to Isiekwe and set up the maul from the middle of the lineout. The Italian pack do a decent job of stopping it and Randall sends it to the runners to start carrying into the Italy defensive line. The Azzuri are throwing everything at tackles on their line and force Genge to knock on over the line.
Impressive defensive set from the home side.
35 mins. Harry Randall, who has looked busy and assured so far, puts up a lovely box kick that give his chaser Elliot Daly a chance to compete and regather possession via a slap-back. Two phases later Ruzza is offside on the tackle line.
That’s eight penalties and formal warning from the ref. Smith sends it to the corner.
33 mins. Italy have already conceded seven penalties as they attempt to match England’s physicality in the ruck. The latest is sent to the corner for a lineout that the England forwards secure and suck the Italian defence in for Itoje to dot it down from a few metres out.
But wait! TMO Brian McNiece has spotted that Isiekwe was in front of the maul from a detached position. Hence offside and so no try!
30 mins. Garbisi takes the time of a prog-rock album track to execute a clearing kick and Tom Curry is up to him off the scrum to charge it down. Luckily for Italy, Curry took the ball so hard it knocked him out of his stride meaning he couldn’t beat Garbisi to regain the possession.
Updated
28 mins. Jack Nowell has failed an Head Injury Assessment and is replaced by Elliot Daly. England once again don’t have an actual winger on the field.
27 mins. Italy are in the England half with the ball in hand. Garbisi flashes it right and Mori takes Smith on around the outside, but the stand-off does enough to hold on and put the winger into touch on the England 22.
25 mins. A solid scrum from Italy in their own 22 means Varney can clear. England come back with the ball in hand, but Slade is isolated which allows Italy to grab a turnover in the ruck.
21 mins. Italy will be very frustrated at their inability to treat possession with the care it needs as they lost promising positions to inaccuracy. However, even if they had managed to get some points on the board, England looks likely every time they have have the ball.
TRY! Italy 0 - 14 England (Jamie George)
20 mins. Isiekwe takes a the ball at the tail of the lineout and Randall carries into the Italy 5m. The forwards get in on the carrying act and the final drive comes from George to score from short range.
Smith adds two.
Updated
18 mins The Italian forwards compound their misery by naulsing their lineout up and England have the ball back once again and carry into the Italy half. The Azzuri do enough to contain it and clear.
16 mins. Garbisi chips over the England defence for Zanon to gather, and some quick offloading sets Steyn free and into the England 22. But it comes to a frustrating end as the white defence snaffle the ball to end the attack.
Updated
15 mins. Varney is inattentive at the base of the ruck which allows the ball to wriggle free and Jack Nowell to dive on it, recycle it and Randall boots it clear.
13 mins. Italy are deliberately not competing at the ruck, which means England are getting the ball away quickly but have a well-staffed solid tackle line to break. Smith knocks on and Italy are on the attack from a scrum in the England half.
TRY! Italy 0 - 7 England (Marcus Smith)
10 mins. Ellis Genge has a big carry in midfield on halfway and the ball is worked left through hands to set Nowell free up the touchline. The Italy defence scrambles but England continue to work the ball across the pitch and back again. As it’s again moved left, Malins pops up on his opposite wing and pops the ball inside to the supporting Smith to score.
The Harlequins man then dusts himself off and converts his own try.
Updated
7 mins. England catch and drive a lineout in the Italian 22 that the Azzuri pack hold still and force Randall to release it to the backs. Malins is off his wing on the angled run but he fumbles the pop-pass form Smith and Garbisi boots it deap and clear.
3 mins. Italy have the early possession, some phases end by forcing an England drop out from under their own posts.
Kick Off!
1 min. We’re underway.
Updated
The teams are out, there is a smattering of fans due to ongoing Covid restrictions, and the band is playing. We’ll soon have the anthems then the small matter of the game.
Updated
“One thing I was looking forward to for England for today was seeing Radwan bring electric pace to the wing and just gas it,” Robin Hazlehurst offers, “but I guess Eddie’s model is for players who can play multiple positions across the backline and out-and-out pace on the wing is not what he wants. I get that, but it’s a shame though.”
There’s a lot to be said for pure chaos pace on the wing, especially in a game like this, but Jones clearly loves Malins.
Eddie Jones is on the tellybox chatting about creating A New England.
In doing this it’s vital he bears in mind that it’s wrong to wish on space hardware.
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Pre-match reading department..
Does anyone give Italy any hope today? Or perhaps you’d like to tell me what you’re looking forward to from this freshened up England? You can send all this and more to me via Email or by tweeting @bloodandmud
Teams
Kieran Crowley changes three after the defeat in France. Federico Mori starts on the wing in place of last week’s teenage try scorer, Tommaso Menoncello. Odd selection this, given the young lad’s try and that Mori is a centre and has never started a Test on the wing.
Braam Steyn is for Sebastian Negri in the back row, and Pietro Ceccarelli gets nod in the front row ahead of Tiziano Pasquali. Those waiting for Sergio Parrisse’s farewell nostalgia tour appearance must wait a little longer.
Eddie Jones has rolled the dice, changing half the team, some through injury and some through choice. Maro Itoje moves to blind-side while the coach awaits Courtney Lawes’s return to fitness. Charlie Ewels takes the vacant lock berth and Alex Dombrandt is in at No. 8. In the front row, there are starts for Jamie George and Will Stuart.
Jack Nowell returns to the wing as Joe Marchant moves to outside centre and creates the 10-12-13 with Smith and Slade that looked very promising in the Autumn. Feeding the ball to them will be Harry Randall who has taken the scrum-half shirt from Ben Youngs for this match at least.
ITALY
Edoardo Padovani; Federico Mori, Juan Ignacio Brex, Marco Zanon, Montanna Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Stephen Varney; Danilo Fischetti, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Pietro Ceccarelli, Niccolò Cannone, Federico Ruzza, Abraham Steyn, Michele Lamaro (capt), Toa Halafihi.
Replacements: 16 Epalahame Faiva, 17 Cherif Traoré, 18 Tiziano Pasquali, 19 David Sisi, 20 Sebastian Negri, 21 Giovanni Pettinelli, 21 Alessandro Fusco, 23 Leonardo Marin.
ENGLAND
Freddie Steward; Max Malins, Joe Marchant, Henry Slade, Jack Nowell; Marcus Smith, Harry Randall; Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Will Stuart, Charlie Ewels, Nick Isiekwe, Maro Itoje, Tom Curry (capt), Alex Dombrandt.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Kyle Sinckler, 19 Ollie Chessum, 20 Sam Simmonds, 21 Ben Youngs, 22 George Ford, 23 Elliot Daly.
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Preamble
Hello everyone and welcome to our live coverage of Italy vs England in Round 2 of the Six Nations 2022.
The track record in this match makes for some very grim reading for Italy. Focusing solely on games played in Rome since the Azzuri joined the tournament in 2000, England have outscored them 48 tries to 9. Yes, you read that correctly, Italy have only scored 9 (nine) tries against England at home in ten games over some twenty years. England remain the only side not to suffer a loss against Italy in the Six Nations and they usually win pretty handily. Even in Rome, England’s average winning margin is 25 points, and dragging that average down are some outlying closer matches during the nadir of Brian Ashton’s and Martin Johnson’s regimes.
All that aside, Italy under new coach Kieran Crowley looked better last week in defeat vs France than they have for a while. There were points in the game where the forwards took it to the French powerhouses via the likes of Danilo Fischetti, Toa Halafihi, Federico Ruzza and captain, Michele Lamaro. They look like they could be building something to compare with the relative golden age around a decade ago.
The problem is, even in that mini purple patch, England still tonked them.
Can’t see much else happening today, but can you imagine?
