So Eddie Jones’s plan worked nicely. Italy ran out of gas as we suspected they might and England showed that they can, when the mood takes them, cut loose. The most pleasing thing to see from an English perspective was that, weak though the opposition may have been, the tries were very nicely worked and not just bulldozed over. There’s certainly something to work with there for Eddie Jones, especially if he and Steve Borthwick can quickly get the set-piece firing again.
England lead the Six Nations after two rounds, ahead of France on points difference and one clear of Wales. The championship takes a weekend off now, so join us again a week on Friday for Wales v France. In the meantime, do hang around for all the reaction and reports.
Cheers for reading. Bye!
Updated
Full-time: Italy 9-40 England
England go left and Joseph stabs a kick through into the 22 for Watson to chase. McLean gets back and gathers, the ball is spilled on the floor and we’re done here.
80 min Right off the lineout but you get the sense Italy just want to stick a fork in this one now. Castrogiovanni throws a ridiculous overhead pass straight to Itoje, who offloads to Nowell, but then the England wing knocks on. We go back for the first knock on, an England scrum midway between halfway and the Italy 10 metre line. The clock is in the red.
79 min Padovani kicks to touch down the left midway inside the England half.
78 min Italy look to run it from the 22 through Campagnaro. He’s thumped into touch and England go quickly, but Hill goes into the ruck from the side.
77 min Lovely take from Goode from a high ball and Nowell stabs a kick through from halfway, but Sarto gets back to recover it. It’s cleared long to Ford who runs it back and goes right to Goode, who carries into the 22. He’s dragged into touch though.
76 min Palazzani on, Gori off.
Try + con (Farrell 75) Italy 9-40 England
We restart with an England scrum on the 22. I think I just heard that Youngs is man of the match, which seems ludicrous to me. From the scrum England recycle and Itoje and Clifford make nice ground carrying through the tacklers. George smashes through one tackle and offloads to his club-mate, who finishes under the posts.
Updated
74 min England win the turnover 45 metres out and fling it wide perhaps a bit too quickly, as Watson has to control it with his chest after it bounces. They go into contact and Glen Jackson gets in the way. “Think I ripped the ball out myself. First time ever,” says Jackson. I like him.
72 min Farrell’s conversion looks lovely, but bounces back off the inside of the first post. “England’s first hat-trick since the latter stages of the World Cup,” says Nick Mullins. That was the match before last.
Try! (Joseph hat-trick 71) Italy 9-33 England
Biagi knocks on on the floot but it goes unnoticed. No matter as Kruis drives Castrogiovanni backwards and earns the turnover. Launchbury carries it on into the 22 down the middle. It goes left through the hands and Joseph, determined to get the hat-trick, pumps his legs and drives through two tacklers to cross out wide!
Updated
70 min Farrell kicks to touch on halfway. England bring Paul Hill, the very exciting 20-year-old Northampton prop, on for Cole and Goode for Brown. Ford puts up a high one that McLean allows to drop, thinking it will go out on the full, but it bounces in play and goes out on the 22. George on for Hartley.
69 min The phases go into double figures as Italy crab inside and towards the line. Slow stuff so far and they’re still 15 out. Campagnaro goes into contact and concedes a penalty for holding on. Good work from Farrell at the breakdown to earn that.
68 min Now Italy come again from 45 or so metres. England’s defence is solid though until Steyn makes ground down the left touchline after Bellini drew Nowell inside. The South African flanker has looked good since coming on.
67 min Into the corner again and this time it goes to Parisse in the middle, but Vunipola nabs the tap down, which was well deflected by Itoje. Care clears to touch down the left.
66 min Italy go short and drive towards the line. They get another penalty for offside against Launchbury this time.
65 min That was lovely from Italy and they still have it, picking and going to within a metre or so. They get a penalty for offside against Itoje. Padovani – who is making his debut by the way – pops it into the corner.
64 min Clifford comes on for Robshaw; Zanusso on for Lovotti. McLean takes a box kick with his foot in touch to ensure it went out on the full and Italy have a lineout 10 metres inside the England half, from which they drive through the middle. Recycled and it goes right and some lovely offloading from Sarto and Biagi gets it out to Campagnaro out wide and he sets off for the line, dragged down five short.
Penalty (Farrell 63) Italy 9-28 England
Just to the left, 30-odd out, Farrell isn’t going to miss those.
62 min Italy collapse the scrum – Cole getting one over on his former Leicester team-mate Castrogiovanni – and England have a shot at goal.
Canna is off, Padovani on. Italy have a scrum as Brown, having stepped up to act as scrum-half, fumbled the pick up at the base of a ruck.
61 min Italy with it on their own 22 and McLean kicks long to Watson, who turns on the gas to make 25 metres and offload at speed to Itoje. Italy, unlike Scotland last week, have chased kicks very very poorly.
60 min Italy replace Cittadini with Castrogiovanni. This game is done though and England put some width on it. Joseph steps and draws his man then sends Watson off down the left. Sarto just about gets his hands on the England wing and shuffles him into touch.
Try! (Joseph 59 + Farrell con) Italy 9-25 England
Taken by Kruis at the front and England drive the maul again, with Hartley in possession. Penalty coming so England have a free play. Care stabs a lovely, lovely grubber kick through and it sits up nicely for Joseph to dot down under the posts.
Updated
57 min It’s worth noting that Haskell was outstanding in his 55 minutes on the pitch, especially with his tackling. England get a penalty at the scrum and Farrell pops it into touch on the left, 15 out from the Italian line.
56 min Italy go right then left from the scrum and Minto knocks on in midfield. England scrum in almost exactly the same position Italy just had one.
55 min It’s a long way back for Italy now, who had the upper hand in this half until that moment of madness. Italy get a scrum a metre or so inside their own half when Parisse is held up in a maul but directly from a kick.
Exciting moment this: Itoje is on for Haskell. It means – oh no – Robshaw moves to seven, but what a prospect Itoje is.
Try! (Joseph 53 + Farrell con) Italy 9-18 England
This is idiotic. Italy take a quick lineout and Bellini steps then offloads. The backs are under pressure and throwing it about with abandon and McLean’s offload loops up into the hands of Joseph, who jogs over unchallenged from the 22. Farrell converts from in front.
Updated
52 min From halfway, Canna kicks to touch down the left and finds it just outside the England 22. Biagi takes and Italy peel off the front, gaining no ground. Then good work by Robshaw wins the turnover and Care kicks clear.
The touch judge has spotted something. It’s a shoulder charge in the ruck by, sigh, Dylan Hartley. Penalty only for not wrapping his arms around in time, though even in slow motion it looks harsh.
51 min James Austin writes again: “Was slightly tongue in cheek, but given that the main reason for his dropping for Hartley was his lineout throwing (Which is nowhere near as bad as people say) its interesting to see the shambles of England’s lineout today. TBH Jamie George is better than both!”
It was that and to add some bulk to the scrum (plus a hooker who hooks). I agree that George would be in if Hartley wasn’t the best choice of captain.
50 min Canna just pulls it left and England escape. Care on for Youngs.
49 min Canna is going to have a shot at the lead for Italy from wide on the left, midway inside the England half.
48 min Yep just a penalty. Marler and Launchbury are on for Mako V and Lawes. They have to defend an Italian lineout maul from halfway, which makes a good 20 metres up the left. Italy have a penalty too for side entry to the maul.
47 min Canna clears to Watson, then Ford kicks and McLean is taken in the air by Haskell and Farrell; the latter holds his hands up in apology. Just a penalty I reckon but we’re going to the TMO.
Giazzon is on for Gega for Italy.
Updated
46 min Into touch on the Italian 10 metre line and Italy crash it up in midfield but Haskell wins the turnover. Robshaw goes left to Ford and the No10 goes down into the 22, but when it’s recycled Lawes is driven back and turned over.
45 min Taken by Haskell and England set the driving maul, but Cole is penalised for obstruction at a very loosely-bound pack. That’s really poor.
James Austin writes: “O for Tom Youngs and his far more accurate lineout throwing! Still don’t understand what Harley offers over him. Also, Englands main issues is that their lines are very, very diagonal, it’s killing space outside and has cost us one golden opportunity already.”
Ah ha ha ha ha ha. Tom Youngs accurate?!!
44 min Left from the scrum and Bellini looks to step through again but he’s shut down well. As is Campagnaro when he has a go two phases later. Canna kicks and Brown comes back up to halfway under no pressure up to halfway. Back to Ford who goes high cross field; McLean takes but Vunipola’s excellent counterruck earns England the turnover. Youngs chip ahead and Parisse has to shepherd it into touch.
43 min Kruis takes the lineout and England try the driving maul, but Hartley’s throw wasn’t straight. This hasn’t been the captain’s most auspicious game.
Updated
42 min Ford takes a lovely one-handed catch inside his own 22 and clears, then Bellini steps and jinks beautifully through midfield only to knock on. Brown kicks ahead, McLean returns and finally the ball goes into touch, just inside the Italian half on the right.
Peeeep! Canna restarts, Billy V takes and Youngs clears to Parisse, who fumbles inside his own half. It goes backwards though and Italy retain possession. Gori kicks, Vunipola takes, Ford kicks...
Italy have done fairly well with what little ball they’ve had, while England haven’t exactly been a creative force. The English lineout, normally such a strong point, has been a mess too with three having gone awry by my count.
Here’s the try, by the way:
It’s close, but this game has little else going for it.
Half-time: Italy 9-11 England
Taken just outside the 22 and England set the driving maul. There’s an overlap out wide on the right but Brown passes to Nowell too early and he has to check back inside. England spill it backwards and Italy kick ahead. Nowell has to chase back with Minto after him and the Exeter man can’t gather cleanly. Campagnaro picks up, but the covering defence gets back and hustles the other Exeter man into touch.
40 min High from Canna to Billy V and Mako carries it on. England get a penalty against Minto for sticking his hands in the ruck while on his knees. Farrell quickly kicks to touch down the left, so we’ll have time for one more play.
39 min England go right from the lineout but get turned over just outside thee 22 and they have to be sharp to stop Campagnaro from slipping through. Canna goes for the cross-kick and Watson takes it in his in-goal area well under pressure from Parisse.
38 min Biagi takes it at the front and taps it down straight into touch. England opt for the lineout. That was a bit of a waste from the Italians.
37 min Gori box kicks clear and Brown does well under the high ball. England get a penalty for an Italian going off his feet, but then Cole does exactly the same thing after Youngs went quickly and Italy have a penalty of their own just inside their own half. McLean finds touch on the right around about on the England 22.
Penalty (Canna 36) Italy 9-11 England
Easy enough from just to the left and Italy are right back in this.
34 min Parisse takes it off the base and drives up to within 10 metres. Left they go and Canna steps round Ford, making five metres. On to Steyn who drops it, but we go back for a high tackle by Ben Youngs.
33 min Yep another Italian injury. Garcia limps off, Andrea Pratichetti comes on for his Six Nations debut. In fact it’s an England lineout, not a scrum, and they’re penalised for accidental offside at the maul. Italy scrum inside the England 22.
“Afternoon Dan. Cocktails on me if Italy win,” offers Simon McMahon.
32 min Steyn takes on halfway and Italy take it into contact. They go left and Garcia uses his strength to make ground out wide, but it’s slow ball and Italy go back again. Garcia grubbers ahead and Steyn is very close to keeping it in play with the line begging. He knocks it on though. Garcia is going to have to come off after his collision with Farrell earlier.
31 min Haskell comes up and puts in a great hit on Minto, who does well to keep possession. It’s cleared, but Zanni is off for an HIA. Steyn on in his place. We restart after a few minutes with an England lineout on halfway but it’s overthrown again and swept up by Parisse. Bernabo carries on and Canna regathers his chip over the top. He follows that up with another chip, which is a bit of a nothing effort and Nowell dots down.
30 min Back to Ford and this kick is better, stabbed down the left and bobbling into touch in the England 22. They’ve made 60 metres in just a minute or so there.
29 min Sarto’s pass is behind Canna and they lose ground. Garcia charges down the right but is tackled and stripped by Watson, who gets up and dances beautifully up to the 10 metre line. Another 10 gained by Joseph who wriggles through a gap for a half break, up to halfway before the big men take over.
28 min Back to Ford in the 22 and his clearance down the left is out on the full by just a fraction. Italy lineout a metre inside the 22 on the right and this is a good chance for their pack to do some damage. Bernabo takes...
27 min Lawes is stripped at the restart and Italy have it, 10 outside the England 22. Gori is held up in the tackle though, the maul is formed and England win the turnover scrum.
26 min There was a lovely little pass out of the back of the hand by Vunipola there to Youngs to allow the No9 to give the try-scoring pass. Farrell’s conversion hits the outside of the near post and bounces wide.
Try! (Ford 25) Italy 6-11 England
They go left through the hands. Billy Vunipola looks like he’s going to charge but realises there’s an overlap. Out it goes and Ford dots down in the corner!
Updated
24 min The lineout is taken by Kruis, calling to himself once again, on halfway. Ford goes high but it’s too far and McLean takes it, but England chase well and disrupt the Italian ruck. It squirts back into the 22 and Brown chases it down, winning the turnover...
23 min Canna puts up the first garryowen of the day, Vunipola takes but then Youngs’ pass to Haskell is poor and the Wasps man is wrapped up. Biagi then charges down the scrum-half’s box kick, but is penalised for offside.
22 min It is, but not for Garcia. 42 metres from the line and six in from the right-hand touchline. He gives it a mighty hoof and misses by just a few inches to the right. Farrell returns for Goode and takes the restart, caught by McLean near halfway.
21 min Taken by Biagi and the penalty goes against Billy Vunipola for entering the maul from the side. Too far out for Canna, I would think.
20 min Biagi takes the restart – Ford’s kick only shallow – and Brown is penalised for not rolling away. Jackson is hot on that today. This being on the right hand side of the pitch, McLean takes the penalty and finds touch eight metres inside the England half.
Penalty (Canna 19) Italy 6-6 England
From wide-ish on the left and 40-odd metres out, Canna puts an excellent kick through the posts to level things up.
18 min Nowell takes the restart and carries five metres outside of his 22. Recycled once and Ford clears long to Bellini, who nearly drops it. Italy retain possession though and Parisse, then Minto carry on. It goes back to Canna who fires a low, hard drop goal effort from all of 45 metres just a few feet wide. There was a penalty coming though.
Bernarbo for Fuser is now a permanent change.
Updated
Penalty (Ford 17) Italy 3-6 England
Easy as.
16 min Garcia hits Farrell hard but England had a penalty coming for not releasing the tackler. Farrell steps up to take it, but Jackson orders him off for an HIA after that big hit. Ford will take the kick from right in front as Goode comes on to the pitch.
15 min In fact Fuser is off, replaced by Bernabo. I think this might be an HIA. England engage early and Italy get the free-kick, which Parisse carries out the 22. It’s recycled and Haskell puts in a good hit on Canna, earning the turnover. Right it goes to Joseph, who can’t find a gap, then back inside.
14 min Quick ball off the lineout and Youngs darts through a gap into the 22. Lawes straightens and Robshaws offloads nicely to Ford. They go right then left again and Ford is absolutely smashed by Campagnaro! Ford knocks on and you can hardly blame him considering that driving tackle. Great defence from the 14 men of Italy.
13 min Canna restarts and Joseph takes in the 22. He’s hit high-ish by Fuser, who is down on his knees after that. Not sure what happened to him there. It’s box kicked clear and McLean takes, then Canna thumps a clearance into touch on the full from midway inside his own half.
Penalty (Farrell 12) Italy 3-3 England
15 in from the left and not far out at all, Farrell knocks it over and moves past Dusty Hare’s tally of 177 championship points.
Updated
11 min Good scrum from England and they get the penalty again. Cittadini it was who wasn’t driving straight. Farrell will look to level things up.
10 min Watson chases the kick, which is aimed towards Sarto and the Italian is distracted, allowing the ball to bounce into touch. Parisse wins the lineout inside his own 22 well under pressure from Lawes, but Zanni knocks on from Gori’s pass. England scrum a couple of metres inside the 22.
Penalty (Canna 9) Italy 3-0 England
It’s just inside the 22 and 10 in from touch on the left. Canna, who wasn’t brilliant from the tee in Paris, brings it around nicely and Italy have a deserved lead.
Updated
8 min Gori pops it to Cittadini, who knocks on but England were offside and Italy get the penalty. Canna will go for goal from wide on the left.
7 min Garcia gets it wide on the right and steps very nicely round Watson. For a second it looks like he might be away but eventually England drag him into touch. It’s a poor lineout though and Gega grabs it at the back! Italy go left and Gori pops it nicely inside to Biagi, who is cut down five metres out.
6 min Not even close to straight but Kruis takes and is allowed to get away with it. England swing it left but the ball goes loose and when Joseph gathers he’s driven back miles by Cittadini. In fact Italy have turned him over and have it on the 22 again.
5 min England scrum inside their own 22, wide on the right then. Under pressure Billy V gets the ball away to Ford, who is tackled by Parisse, but Canna is penalised for not rolling away from the tackler. Farrell kicks to touch well, near halfway on the right.
4 min Italy go right and Campagnaro squeezes through to make ground, up towards the England 22. Back left it comes and Fuser offloads to Parisse who makes ground tight to the touchline. It’s recycled back inside and Gori goes short-side, but it’s knocked on when they try to be a touch too cute.
3 min Advantage over and, seconds later, Ford’s pass is intercepted. Italy chip ahead for Bellini to chase, but the ball beats him into touch giving England a lineout midway inside their own half. Taken in by Kruis then Billy V goes on the charge, but he knocks on.
2 min England scrum five metres in from touch on the left. They get a penalty advantage but shift it into midfield. Right, then left but they can’t get into the 22.
Peeeep! Glen Jackson blows his whistle and the man who now wears his No10 Saracens shirt kicks off right-to-left. Fuser goes up on his 22 and knocks on. Great news: David Flatman and Ben Kay are on commentary duties today.
Is my email address working? Or are you all spending time with your loved ones? Losers.
Anthems watch
England in excellent voice, which hasn’t always been the case on their trips to Rome. Eddie Jones joins in once again, albeit again without much gusto. Imagine hearing that he’d sing God Save the Queen in 2003.
Italy have an extended musical intro and it threatens to drown out the vocals when they do eventually kick in. It’s all a bit like when Butch Vig ruined Nevermind. Sort of.
The record between the two teams:
P21 England 21 Italy 0 Drawn 0.
Obviously that was Eddie Jones. Not Butler. Refresh the page and it will look like I never made that mistake. Anyhow, here come the players.
Eddie Jones speaks! “This is the right 23 for this game. We’ve got some good young guys on the bench and they’ll get to play today and move on.
“I want to go out there and play. Italy are going to be tough ... they’ve changed a little bit, they’re very good off broken up play. The half-backs can make breaks.”
Updated
The state of Jack Nowell’s hair. I like Nowell, he’s an excellent player and seems like a down-to-earth guy. But dear god I’m glad he covers that rat tail with a scrum cap.
Awww.
Happy Valentines Day @DanLucas86 and all the other lonely sports writers on the desk today! Xx pic.twitter.com/RLNDO81HRH
— Elizabeth Aubrey (@WriterLiz81) February 14, 2016
Are you a fan of other sports? If football is your thing then Gregg Bakowski has Arsenal v Leicester right here. Or, if you prefer low-quality football and high-quality MBMing then Niall McVeigh is the poor chap doing Aston Villa v Liverpool. Or, if you prefer cricket then (a) you’re right to do so and (b) Nick Miller is watching England choke from 2-0 up to lose the series against South Africa.
Win this and win this one well and England can feel pretty good about their grand slam chances. Next up are Ireland and Wales, both beatable at Twickenham (yes, yes, I know what happened in September. I watched the bloody thing) and then a finale against a French side who are, to say the least, yet to convince.
Do get in touch, by the way. It’s Valentine’s Day and I’m sat on a desk with lots of other sports writers for company. Don’t leave me lonely.
Courtney Lawes is back for England today. It’ll be interesting to see how he holds up after an injury-disrupted season. Speaking of which, he talked about that to Michael Aylwin.
Preamble
Afternoon, folks. We’re at the end of round two and a match that is normally considered a routine, dull non-contest suddenly looks like being one of the key matches of the 2016 Six Nations. After wins for France and Wales yesterday, this match could be an excellent indicator as to just how realistic England’s title – and who knows, perhaps even grand slam – ambitions are.
England were mildly encouraging against Scotland. Excellent in defence against a dangerous side and they did the job efficiently albeit very, very unspectacularly. With Mako Vunipola and Courtney Lawes starting in Rome, and a 6-2 split among the replacements, expect them to start with a bit more gusto today to try and stretch the Italian defence from the get-go and create space for their backs (among whom there is still no place for Elliot Daly).
Italy are, as they showed against France, no mugs though. Far from looking like the whipping boys everyone expected, they should have won in Paris for the first and would have done so had an actual kicker made himself available at the death (let’s be honest, we all wanted the magnificent Parisse to get that drop-goal, didn’t we?). They are a tricky opponent and, though few people expect them to win today, they can make life difficult for England if they can keep up for the first half hour or so.
Kick-off for this one is 3pm GMT, or 4pm Rome time. The teams are below, and happy Valentine’s Day!
Italy
Luke McLean; Leonardo Sarto, Michele Campagnaro, Gonzalo Garcia, Mattia Bellini; Carlo Canna, Edoardo Gori; Sergio Parisse, Alessandro Zanni, Francesco Minto; Marco Fuser, George Fabio Biagi; Lorenzo Cittadini, Ornel Gega, Andrea Lovotti.
Replacements Davide Giazzon, Matteo Zanusso, Martin Castrogiovanni, Valerio Bernabo, Abraham Steyn, Guglielmo Palazzani, Edoardo Padovani, Andrea Pratichetti.
England
M Brown (Harlequins); A Watson (Bath), J Joseph (Bath), O Farrell (Saracens), J Nowell (Exeter Chiefs); G Ford (Bath), B Youngs (Leicester Tigers); M Vunipola (Saracens), D Hartley (Northampton Saints), D Cole (Leicester Tigers), C Lawes (Northampton Saints), G Kruis (Saracens), C Robshaw (Harlequins), J Haskell (Wasps), B Vunipola (Saracens).
Replacements J George (Saracens), J Marler (Harlequins), P Hill (Northampton), J Launchbury (Wasps), M Itoje (Saracens, uncapped), J Clifford (Harlequins), D Care (Harlequins), 23 A Goode (Saracens)
