Summary
England top the Six Nations table after the opening weekend, pipping Wales on points difference.
Some excellent performances out there, on both sides. Simmonds was my MOTM, Watson scored two fantastic tries, and Ford showed some world-class guile at 10. His touch and weight of pass was ace all day, and has a telepathic relationship with Farrell at 12 – the Saracens man also impressed. The England scrum was well drilled, hats off to Cole and Vunipola as well as Marc Dal Maso, the former French hooker who has been coaching England’s scrum all week. Congrats to Alec Hepburn as well, for making his debut.
Italy showed glimpses of real quality. The 21-year-old full-back Matteo Minozzi was a livewire at full-back, buzzing like a bee at the back, quick feet and impressive under the high ball, particularly for someone that is relatively small. I also think Boni had a brilliant game at 13, some real physicality, and he contained Ben Te’o well.
Thanks for joining me, and for your emails and tweets. See you next time.
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No surprise to see England dominate the latter stages there. Superior fitness was also a big feature of last summer’s Lions tour, which was obviously full of England players. It will continue to be such an important part of Eddie Jones’s coaching philosophy.
Full-time: Italy 15-46 England
England started this match like a train and finished it with aplomb. Italy showed some nice touches in between, to be fair. Certainly enough to show that they might avoid the wooden spoon this year. Depends if Scotland can get their act together.
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Try for England! Italy 15-46 England
England are rampant! And it’s Simmonds at the heart of the action once again. Ford lofts a miss-pass to the Exeter No8 on the wing, he waits for the wraparound from his club team-mate Nowell, who tiptoes down the sideline and scores in the corner. Brilliant pass from Ford, no look offload from Simmonds and tidy feet from Nowell. Italy don’t deserve to lose by over 30 points, but England’s fitness late in matches really is mind-boggling. Farrell can’t convert the kick, but it’s job done for England.
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Try for England! Italy 15-41 England
75 min: England score six tries! It’s Simmonds again, and he’s just too quick for the Italy defence, which is obviously tiring. Simmonds is surely a shout for man-of-the-match on his Six Nations debut. Farrell knocks over the extras.
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Alec Hepburn makes his England debut!
73 min: The Exeter prop comes on for Vunipola. A day he’ll always remember.
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72 min: Nowell, Itoje and Care all combine well but England are halted at Italy’s five-metre line. Farrell then tries to pass it right, but the ball is well intercepted by Bellini, who races clear, offloads to Boni and Italy are back up to half-way. Wasted chance there, Farrell’s pass was never on.
70 min: Ten minutes left. Joseph has been very bright since he’s come on.
Try for England! Italy 15-34 England
68 min: If the result was in doubt before, it isn’t now. Jonathan Joseph runs a brilliant line through the middle to draw defenders. Two phases later, Ford rips a bullet pass to Farrell who breaks the line, draws the full-back and spins it back to Ford on the inside, who just about tumbles over the line before Benvenuti gets to him. The telepathy that Ford and Farrell have at 10-12 is brilliant.
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67 min: Williams wins a penalty for England with another monumental scrum and suddenly England have a line-out on Italy’s five-metre line. George throws in, stolen by Parisse! The Italian captain beats Itoje to the ball, the master beating the apprentice. Italy clear.
64 min: A lull in the enterprising attacking play we have become accustomed to in the last hour of play, but some big tackles going in defensively, particularly from Vunipola, Robshaw and Simmonds.
62 min: Agreed. Wigglesworth is a good player but benefits from playing for an exceptional team. Robson makes things happen.
Has to be Dan Robson if Young's is out - offers so much more than Wigglesworth @michaelbutler18 #SixNations #ITAvENG
— Sam Wilson (@samw152) February 4, 2018
59 min: A few more changes: Dean Budd comes on for George Biagi for the hosts and England swap George Kruis for Lawes, Joseph for Te’o.
A minute later Jack Nowell comes on for Mike Brown, and Anthony Watson moves to full back.
Try for Italy! Italy 15-27 England
This game isn’t done yet! Italy are camped on England’s line after a clean line-out, but with hands in the ruck they are given the advantage and spin it left. Once again, it is Allan who tries a wonderful mis-pass out to his winger, this time it’s Bellini. One-on-one with Brown, he takes his chances outside and somehow gets the ball down in the corner, before being shoved out. The referee goes upstairs to the TMO but replays show he stayed in! Try awarded.
Allan can’t knock over the conversion, but that was another brilliant pass to set up the finish.
Try! Bellini goes over as Italy continue to properly test England
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) February 4, 2018
ITA 15-27 ENG
Live on @ITV right now! pic.twitter.com/cnnAIkQiK6
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56 min: Some subs: Jamie George is on for Dylan Hartley, Harry Williams is on for Dan Cole for his Six Nations debut. A change for Italy: Maxime Manda who takes over from Renato Giammarioli.
54 min: That looks like it could be the score that wins England the game, but Italy’s don’t seem to be downhearted. Boni and Minozzi make headway down the left, the latter showing Mike Brown a clean set of heels. Minozzi is forced inside, and the move dies, but that’s great play again from Italy.
Try for England! Italy 10-27 England
51 min: Itoje wins a line-out, a maul is formed, and a quick pop pass to Simmonds, who races away at lightning speed, to score just right of the posts. For a No8, the Exeter Chief has some wheels! That’s England’s fourth try, which earns them a bonus point. Farrell converts the kick.
Try! A @SixNationsRugby debut marked with a try for Sam Simmonds who shows just how quick he is! ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/lV2mJ2IDg7
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) February 4, 2018
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TMO denies Italy a second try!
Boni and Parisse combine well in Italian midfield in a beautiful move, and the former bursts forward through a crowd of England defenders, but the referee calls play back for a forward pass. Shame! It was a lovely phase of play.
Penalty for England! Italy 10-20 England
48 min: Italy penalised for handling in the scrum - Dan Cole is putting in work. Farrell knocks over an easy three.
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46 min: Try for Watson … denied!!! Ooooo, that was so close for England’s winger, who is on for a hat-trick here, but drops the ball just as he was tumbling over Italy’s try line. The referee actually calls play back for a forward pass so it wouldn’t have mattered.
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44 min: May beats Minozzi in the air from a lovely Care box-kick, and then England’s replacement scrum half kicks again, this time into open space, with Minozzi caught up in the ruck from the previous phase. England burst forward but it is the Italian hooker Ghiraldini that reaches it first! He calmly scoops the ball up with all the grace of a ballerina and offloads the ball to Bellini who kicks clear! Amazing defence!
42 min: Sam Simmonds knocks on to hand Italy possession back. That’s the first time we’ve seen his ball-in-hand, but Simmonds was impressive defensively in the first half, leading the tackle count for England with 14.
Peeeeeep! We’re underway again in Rome. Italy immediately penalised after Itoje takes the high ball and England kick forward to the edge of Italy’s 22.
We don’t know the extent of Ben Youngs’ injury, but assuming it is a bad one (and it looked like a bad one), who would you like to see come into England’s squad next week to face Wales? Richard Wigglesworth? Dan Robson?
Answers to michael.butler@theguardian.com or tweet @michaelbutler18.
Half-time reading: an old head on 20-year-old Sarah Bern
We’re bringing a creativity to the Six Nations that I don’t think has been seen before …
If this is true, this is outrageous.
@michaelbutler18 Next break, can you ask about for opinions for Japan 2019. Got my email and England rugby tour want £250 just to get to the front of the Q...250 that doesn't go towards your package. Not happy.
— peter gibbs (@petergibbs) February 4, 2018
Half-time: Italy 10-17 England
England threatened to run away with it – literally – in the early stages, but Italy have recovered their poise, got a little bit of defensive organisation and looked dangerous on the break. We’ve got ourselves an excellent match here.
Penalty converted! Italy 10-17 England
Allan slots it over, and we’ve got a one-score game here.
38 min: Some big carries from Boni, Castello and Ghiraldini and Italy edge into England’s 22. An excellent late run from Minozzi so nearly breaks Te’o’s tackle. Soon they are just a couple of metres from England’s line! Some last-ditch defending here. England look like they’ve turned the ball over at the breakdown, but a penalty to Italy is awarded, just left of the posts, and they’ll kick for three points. Probably a wise move with the clock ticking down.
37 min: Italy pour forward again, they are really giving it a go here, and a score before half-time would be massive.
35 min: Brown is penalised for a high tackle on the 5ft7in full-back Minozzi. Easily done. England are obviously trying to target the small full-back under the high ball, but it’s not working at the moment.
33 min: Lawes is back on his feet but England come under severe pressure down their right. Italy almost get in through Bellini but he is forced out of bounds on the England five-metre line. Another good line-out from Hartley is caught by Itoje, with Italy eventually penalised for not rolling away, after Launchbury was eventually brought to the ground. Parisse is given a bit of a talking to for chatting back to the French referee – Parisse plays in France remember.
29 min: Lawes is down, and so everyone gets a well-earned breather. Italy kick their way out of trouble.
27 min: Mike Brown gets free down the left, latching onto a neat kick, but he can’t beat Benvenuti. Brown doesn’t seem to have the same ability with the ball in hands these days. He’s generally very dependable at as a defensive full-back, but I wonder if we might see Watson there later in the Six Nations.
Try for England! Italy 7-17 England
25 min: Just as Italy were getting back into the game offensively, their defence lets them down again. Once again, the Italian midfield is all at sea as England spin it left after some neat hands from Vunipola and Cole (!). Farrell simply wraps around Ford, takes a pop pass from his 10 and races through a gaping hole untouched to score just left of the posts.
Try! Quality from @EnglandRugby and @owen_faz who bursts through the Italian defence to finish in style pic.twitter.com/naYov1y82k
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) February 4, 2018
Farrell kicks his first points of the day, and suddenly England have a very healthy lead again.
Try! Quality from @EnglandRugby and @owen_faz who bursts through the Italian defence to finish in style pic.twitter.com/naYov1y82k
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) February 4, 2018
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22 min: May is evidently angry at being beaten by Benvenuti for that try, and he zooms forward for the kick off, immediately giving away a penalty, as he challenged Parisse when the Italian captain was still off the ground.
Some breaking news:
Try to Italy! Italy 7-10 England
20 min: What a try this is! Italy break down the left, Boni and Bellini exchanging passes, the latter doing well to zip past Watson and chuck a ball back inside. England finally halt the counter-attack on their own five-metre line, but lose their discipline, with the referee giving Italy the advantage. But the Italians show great poise, working the ball right, taking the contact, edging forward. Finally Allan lofts a wonderful pass out to Benvenuti on the right wing, who evades May and runs in for the score. That was all about Allan’s pass, sucking in May, who was then powerless to stop his opposite man.
What a response from Italy! Benvenuti goes over after some superb passing! pic.twitter.com/nvIxjHPc05
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) February 4, 2018
Allan knocks over the extras from the right wing, 35 metres out! We have ourselves a game! Allan has had quite the game thus far. Sheer class.
What a response from Italy! Benvenuti goes over after some superb passing! pic.twitter.com/nvIxjHPc05
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) February 4, 2018
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16 min: Allan finds touch nicely, under pressure he kicks deep into England’s 22. Hartley has his first real test from the line-out but he finds Lawes well. Ghiraldini then collapses the maul and England have a penalty. Conor O’Shea will be tearing his metaphorical hair out at his hooker there.
14 min: Italy’s backs coach, Mike Catt, will be furious with how Italy have come undone with two simple set-piece moves. England moved it wide quickly and cleanly (and Watson finished it superbly) but there was little pressure on the ball.
Try for England! Italy 0-10 England
11 min: This is an outrageous solo try! Both outrageous attacking guile and terrible defending. England spin it right for the second time in the match and score their second try. Ford wraps around Farrell, releases May, who breaks a tackle, draws Boni and releases Watson down the touchline. Watson suddenly springs foward, like he’s just eaten a mushroom on Mario Kart, leaving both Minozzi and Boni clutching at boot laces. Benvenuti makes a quite despicable no-arms tackle on the five-metre line but Watson does superbly to stay in touch, grounding the ball right in the corner. That was electric attacking, terrible defending.
Try! Watson goes over again for @EnglandRugby - what a fast start he and England have made in Rome! pic.twitter.com/PSKGGJtiQO
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) February 4, 2018
Farrell misses the conversion again, this time pulling it left.
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10 min: Ben Youngs is in some serious discomfort, he badly twisted his knee after an awkward collision after the ruck. Youngs is head in hands, the stretcher is being called for. Looks like a nasty injury, not a sight you want to see 10 minutes into a tournament. Danny Care is on, and now becomes England’s joint most-capped scrum half with 77 caps. He’s been in excellent form for Quins this season, it must be said.
It’s a strange lull here. Youngs’s injury is obviously serious and is still being seen to. Both sets of players have resorted to running training drills on the pitch in an attempt to keep warm. Youngs get a round of applause as the stretcher is motored off the pitch.
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8 min: Ooooof! Massive carry by Negri, who bounces off Cole and makes a few hard yards. Italy have managed to put together a few phases here, 14 in total, before May catches a box kick. That would have settled some Italian nerves though, getting their hands on the ball.
6 min: Mike Brown has had a hairy opening few minutes. He’s caught out of position by an Italian kick, and then takes an age to gather it before a good tackle by Giammarioli. England recover though and manage to clear.
Try to England! Italy 0-5 England
3 min: This is a perfect set piece. Clean hands, but Italy didn’t lay one hand on England, and they move it from left to right. Farrell, Ford, and May (off his left wing) were all involved, before the ball reached Watson and he races into the corner for a score! Watson looks as though he’s got even quicker. Wow.
A picture-perfect start to the @SixNationsRugby for @EnglandRugby - Watson goes over in style pic.twitter.com/VIZamBt3C3
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) February 4, 2018
Farrell can’t convert the kick, the ball bouncing on the outside the near post.
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2 min: Penalty to England! The Italian scrum collapses and Dan Cole and co do their thing. Lots of England player patting backs, they are fired up with that! Farrell kicks to touch and England will have a line-out deep in Italy’s 22.
1 min: Violi hoists a box kick into the air, and Mike Brown fumbles it forward under pressure from Parisse. Scrum to Italy on the half-way line.
Peeeeeeeeeeeep! And we’re off. Farrell bobbles a little grubber kick towards the Italian forwards, who gather it cleanly.
The teams are out! Alessandro Zanni, on his 100th appearance, leads Italy out. England follow, in their all-white ensemble, not a tracksuit in sight, even for the subs. It’s a balmy 12°C in Rome.
Is there a better national anthem than the Italian one? No. Does Conor O’Shea sing Italy’s anthem? Also no. Sergio Parisse looks like he is going to explode.
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56 and counting...
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) February 4, 2018
A big day for @benyoungs09 as he breaks @matt9dawson's record of starts at scrum half for England 🌹#ITAvENG #CarryThemHome pic.twitter.com/DEYFqWlyaA
Not sure what is going on here.
Speaking of good interviews with people called Sam, this was an excellent chin wag with Sam Simmonds, who starts at No8 today.
Will be interesting to see how England balance the physicality with tackling technique. Thought it was interesting to hear what Sam Underhill said to Paul Rees in an interview recently:
“You tackle people with your shoulders and your head is next to your shoulders. It is impossible to be an aggressive tackler and not risk getting your head caught.
“It is a case of picking and choosing moments and finding other ways to tackle: it is easier for bigger guys because they do not have to rely on technique much. For shorter players like me, our tackle height is lower and you are then at more risk of getting your head somewhere it shouldn’t be.
“Big tackles are great, but in terms of the game they are not the be-all and end-all. You do not just want to be known as a guy who is a big hitter because that does not make you a good defender.
Underhill is one of the best tacklers around, and one of the stand-out players for England in the autumn, but starts on the bench today. It’s Courtney Lawes and Chris Robshaw that start as flankers today.
The teams
📷 #ITAvENG Ecco le formazioni che alle 16 scenderanno in campo all'Olimpico, per la 1^ giornata del @SixNationsRugby #6Nazioni pic.twitter.com/4i61UBiXpN
— Italrugby (@Federugby) February 4, 2018
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Preamble
This will not be the match that defines Italy’s or England’s Six Nations. England will be expected to win, Italy to lose, just as they have on every occasion of this fixture. But in a reasonably short tournament such as this, momentum is vital.
For Italy, it is a game to take chances, to take risks, just as they did in last year’s match against England, when they employed the tactic of not contesting rucks and thus removing the offside line, something that for 70-ish minutes, managed to throw England completely off their game – Italy were 10-5 up at half-time last year and trailed 17-15 with 10 minutes to go. Italy head coach Conor O’Shea is certainly confident: “We think we’re in a miles better place than we were 12 months ago. I think we have a better foundation than people understand in our game. We will go for it and we won’t die wondering as opposed to being secure. I’m energised because I know we’re making progress.”
For England, this is an intriguing blend of experience and unfamiliarity. There are 689 caps in their starting XV, yet there are some relatively new faces in key positions with injuries to Billy Vunipola, Elliot Daly, Nathan Hughes, Joe Marler and James Haskell – amongst others – giving others an opportunity. Ben Te’o has been handed only his second start for England after he was named at outside-centre, despite not playing at all since October. Jonathan Joseph has every right to feel a little wounded, but remains an excellent option on the bench. I’m excited to see Sam Simmonds at No8 and uncapped prop Alec Hepburn is among the replacements. Shirts may not be earned with even a comprehensive victory, but they can certainly be lost with an unconvincing performance.
What is certain is that England will come out physical. All week, this is the buzzword that has been flying out of the training camp. Captain Dylan Hartley spoke of it being “Rugby 101. You need to be physical, and clinical.” Eddie Jones wants to “smash them at the clean-out, get on the front foot. And when they get the ball they’ll see this white line of jerseys coming at them. They’ll have nowhere to go. We want to be brutal and absolutely ruthless and that’s the team to do it.”
Not exactly the sort of game that Alessandro Zanni would have hoped for after nearly two years of injury. It’s his 100th cap for Italy today, whilst the team includes seven players who will be making their first Six Nations appearance, including Matteo Minozzi at fullback, the centre pairing of Tommaso Boni and Tommaso Castello, youthful flankers Renato Giammarioli and Sebastian Negri, New Zealand-born lock Dean Budd and Simone Ferrari in the front row.
It’s going to be a brutal affair. Join me for kick off at 3pm GMT, 4pm in Rome.
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