From the outset of this RBS 6 Nations campaign, England, have looked
strong, and the Grand Slam was looming large for Stuart Lancasters side going into this
game. The omens pointed towards a home win, given that the Italians had never managed
to defeat England With a match to come in the final series of
games against Wales, England knew that a win would leave them in a very strong position
heading to Cardiff The good news for the Italians was the return
of the influential Sergio Parrisse from suspension, but even with him buttressing the Italian
scrum, the English pack were able to dominate the first scrummage of the afternoon, and
when referee George Clancy awarded the penalty, Toby Flood, in the side for the injured Owen
Farrell, was on target with his first kick of the day and England led 3-0 after just
three minutes Shortly after that, a nervous moment for the
Italians. Giovanbattista Venditti kept Floods kick in play but almost ended up embarrassed,
when Mike Brown blocked his attempted clearance. To the Italian wingers relief, the ball went
dead just before Brown could touch it down.\ Excellent work by the Harlequins full back
turned winger who was unlucky not to profit.
England did keep the scoreboard ticking over on 15 minutes, when Flood landed his second
penalty of the afternoon for a 6-0 lead. The Italians were struggling to launch meaningful
attacks in English territory, but when they got their maul going in the 16th minute it
produced dividends. England penalised for collapsing the maul, and Luciano Orquera,
back in favour with coach Jaques Brunel, popped the penalty over to reduce the margin to just
three points. That score gave Italian confidence a lift,
and after a beautiful offload from Parisse, Alessandro Zanni broke for the English line
at pace.....Parisse got up to recieve it back from Zanni, but was ruled to have knocked
the ball on by the referee, and the move came to nought to the dissappointment of the Italian
players. But promising moments for the visitors never-the-less.
After half an hour the Italians were temporarily reduced to 14 men, and a more obvious yellow
card offence, you'll hardly see. Edoardo Gori tackled Flood off the ball after his chip
through had been blocked, and the referee immediately produced the yelllow card from
his pocket for the Italian scrum half. Shortly before the break another collapsed
scrum gave England the chance to extend their lead. Flood once again with the kicking responsibility,
and once again finding the target with accuracy, to make it England 9 Italy 3 approaching half
time. And in first half injury time, Flood clipped
another penalty over the bar after the Italians were ruled offside, to leave the home side
12-3 ahead and in control at the break. Into the second period, Flood and Orquera
exchanged penalties to leave it 15-6, before England pressed the self destruct button in
the 49th minute. Danny Care's sliced kick put his side under pressure and when Orquera
eventually received it, he produced a delicious kick for Luke McLean to collect and dive over
for the Italians first try of the match. Great awareness from the outhalf, who's kick
was inch perfect for McLean, and despite the fact that Orquera missed the conversion it
was still game on at 15-11 Confidence was clearly flowing through the
Italians veins, and as they spread the ball wide, Venditti made a great break into enemy
territory. He was eventually stopped, and Chris Robshaw brought a halt to proceedings
and was penalised for not rolling away. It ended the Italians momentum, but Orquera wasn't
able to take advantage, kicking the resultant penalty wide right and it remained 15-11.
England knew that they were in a game - and
it was relief for the home supporters when Stuart Lancasters side were presented with
an easy opportunity to stretch the lead to seven points, when Flood notched his, and
Englands 18th point of the afternoon from under the posts. England 18-11 ahead.
The Italians deserve great credit for giving England a sterner test than many may have
predicted, helped no doubt by the return of Parisse earning his 94th cap
As the game drifted towards the 80 minute mark, there was one final moment of promise
for the the visitors, when Venditti got on the end of Tobias Botes kick ahead - but the
impressive Brown managed to turn the ball over, that was good enough to seal the win
for England. They had survived a late onslaught from the Italians and now it was just a matter
of putting the ball out to finish the game, and Ben Youngs was happy to oblige, and it
was all over. Last year in Rome Italy went down by 4 points
to England, and they came close again this year. They can leave Twickenham with their
heads held high, but for England, a 13th Grand Slam and their first since 2003 remains the
target as they head to Cardiff next weekend...\ Final score in an enthralling game at Twickenham
England 18 Italy 11