Italy 15 England 19:It wasn't pretty, in fact at times it was pretty awful standard-wise but England managed to escape from Rome with a hard fought Six Nations Championship victory, their second in succession. Trailing 12-6 at the interval, the visitors grabbed 10 points in a four minute spell early in the second half to wrest the momentum.
For the second week in-a-row English outhalf Charlie Hodgson scored a try after blocking down a kick and that score allied to the unerring boot of centre Owen Farrell allowed the visitors to squeeze home. Italy will be really annoyed that they let a chance of victory slip through their fingers on the first occasion that they played a Six Nations match a snow covered Stadio Olimpico.
Replacement outhalf Tobias Botes, on for Kris Burton, missed two kickable second half penalties with his team trailing by just four points. Italy will reflect on this game as definitely one that got away. A double change by England in the second half, introducing Lee Dickson at scrumhalf and Ben Morgan at number eight breathed some life into the England performance: but the visitors will know that they were fortunate to win.
England lost three lineouts and a scrum against the head but did manage to eke out a couple of important penalties in their latter set piece. Farrell kicked beautifully and Hodgson was sharp in taking his chance but for large tranches England’s patterns were very pedestrian.
The opening 40 minutes were shockingly poor in terms of cohesive, attacking rugby, degenerating into a kick-fest with both teams putting boot to leather to try and get some field position. The respective defences were very much on top.
Most of England’s progress was lateral while Italy were guilty of too many errors, nine in total in that first half. There was some mitigation in the snow on the pitch but the teams were very laboured and pedestrian in what they were trying to achieve. Italy outscored their hosts by two tries to one from Giovanbattista Venditti and Tommaso Benvenuti but it will be scant consolation.
English centre Owen Farrell kicked two excellent penalties to nudge his side in front. The home side had lost tighthead prop Martin Castrogiovanni with what looked like a rib injury, but even when he was healthy, England were coping admirably in the scrum. The lineout though was another matter for the visitors who coughed up a couple in the first half.
The game was transformed in a three minute spell just before half-time. Italy’s first try pretty much mirrored the lack of quality in the game at that point, a couple of ricochets undoing England close to their own line. Benvenuti’s grubber kick came off an English foot, struck England fullback Ben Foden in the chest and was gratefully snapped up by Italian wing Giovanbattista Venditti, who dived over the line. It was his first try in just his second cap.
Kris Burton could not manage the difficult touchline conversion but he was given an easier opportunity two minutes later. Foden ran ball back, was tackled but in trying to offload to Charlie Hodgson, watched in horror as the 21 year old Benvenuti read his intentions and intercepted.
The Italian youngster showed great pace to race 50 metres and score under the posts. Burton converted to give the Italians an unlikely 12-6 interval advantage. Whatever England coach Stuart Lancaster said at half-time didn’t have the desired effect as he watched his team concede three penalties in succession. From the third Burton kicked a penalty to nudge his team into a 15-6 lead.
However just when the Italians needed to keep their composure, they gifted the visitors a way back into the match. Fullback Andrea Masi was guilty of delaying his clearance and for the second week in succession English outhalf Charlie Hodgson blocked down the ball and re-gathered to touch down.
Farrell converted and then kicked a third penalty four minutes later and the Italian indiscipline resurfaced. The introduction of Ben Morgan and Lee Dickson provided the English with fresh impetus and their energy lifted the visitors. Italy were looking a little leg weary and with England on the front foot, they continued to dominate.
The English scrum forced another penalty when Italian loosehead Andrea Lo Cicero lost his bind and for the fifth time in the match Farrell was unerring. In complete contrast replacement Tobias Botes had an opportunity reduce the deficit by a single point but he struck the penalty horribly and the chance was squandered. He missed again on 74 minutes to effectively end Italy’s chance of causing a massive upset.
Scoring sequence
25 mins: Farrell penalty, 0-3; 35: Farrell penalty, 0-6; 37: Venditti try, 5-6; 40 (+1): Benvenuti try, Burton conversion, 12-6. Half-time: 12-6. 47: Burton penalty, 15-6; 50: Hodgson try, Farrell conversion, 15-13; 54: Farrell penalty, 15-16; 66: Farrell penalty, 15-19.
Italy: 15 Andrea Masi; 14 Giovanbattista Venditti, 13 Tommaso Benvenuti, 12 Gonzalo Canale, 11 Luke McLean; 10 Kristopher Burton, 9 Edoardo Gori; 1 Andrea Lo Cicero, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni; 4 Marco Bortolami, 5 Quintin Geldenhuys; 6 Alessandro Zanni, 7 Robert Barbieri, 8 Sergio Parisse (capt). Replacements: 17 Lorenzo Cittadini for Castrogiovanni 33 mins; 21 Tobias Botes for Burton 47 mins; 20 Fabio Semenzato for Gori 57 mins; 18 Antonio Pavanello for Bortolami 58 mins; 16 Tommaso D’Apice for Ghiraldini 57 mins; 19 Mauro Bergamasco for Barbieri 75 mins.
England: 15 Ben Foden; 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Brad Barritt, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 David Strettle; 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Ben Youngs; 1 Alex Corbisiero, 2 Dylan Hartley, 3 Dan Cole; 4 Mouritz Botha, 5 Tom Palmer; 6 Tom Croft, 7 Chris Robshaw (capt), 8 Phil Dowson. Replacements: 19 Ben Morgan for Dowson 51 mins; 20 Lee Dickson for Youngs 51 mins; 18 Geoff Parling for Palmer 58 mins; 16 Rob Webber for Hartley 74 mins; 17 Matt Stevens for Cole 74 mins; 21 Jordan Turner Hall for Hodgson 77 mins.
