England confirmed their winning begin to this season"s RBS Six Nations, but that is the sum total of the great news. This was the day when fright seized Martin Johnson"s group in the gloomy hold once more.
The discreet idea of Twickenham eight days progressing - when there were enlivening signs of revival, 3 tries and feat in the face of a Welsh fightback - gave approach to a bold awakening in the Italian capital.
This gloomy compare and tedious opening from the England group was a sign that they are majority a mile from being a manly force, let alone the accomplished article.
Breakthrough: Mathew Tait breaks the Italian counterclaim for the usually try of the game
MATCH FACTSITALY: L McLean; A Masi (K Robertson 58-68min), G Canale, G Garcia (K Robertson 80), Mirco Bergamasco; C Gower, T Tebaldi (P Canavosio 56); S Perugini (M Aguero 56), L Ghiraldini (capt, F Ongaro 80), M Castrogiovanni; Q Geldenhuys, M Bortolami; J Sole (S Perugini 65-76), A Zanni, Mauro Bergamasco.Sin-bin: Castrogiovanni.ENGLAND: D Armitage; M Cueto, M Tait, R Flutey, U Monye; J Wilkinson, D Care(P Hodgson 80); T Payne (M Mullan 63),D Hartley (S Thompson 76), D Cole(D Wilson 70); S Shaw (L Deacon 70),S Borthwick (capt); J Haskell, N Easter,L Moody (S Armitage 80).
Referee: Christophe Berdos (France).
Having taken a indeterminate step forwards at home, they soon took 4 or five retrograde here. This was a feat for a side systematic by Johnson and hermetic by a right-footed dump idea from Jonny Wilkinson, but there the similarities with the 2003 World Cup last delight over Australia at once end.
Back then, England were a hold up section awash with self-confidence. On this evidence, the category of 2010 are so moving and shy as to be fearful of their own shadows. Either that, or they are being systematic to keep personification as if the weight of the universe is on them.
In the failing mins at the Stadio Flaminio, Wilkinson knocked over his ultimate dump idea with worthy fluency, since the approach he had kicked until that stage. Behind the posts, fans in English white cavorted in celebration, but their reactions were innate of relief, not feeling of well-being or triumphalism.
That changed set upon took the sting out of an Italian reconstruction after thehosts had progressively realised that they could do some-more than only containtheir presumably higher opponents, they could conflict them.
Nowhere to hide: Wilkinson"s countenance spoke volumes at the last whistle
Once the Azzurri had cottoned on to the actuality that England were vigilant on kicking afar any value they had, they proposed branch the screw and roughly pulled off a vital upset.
Two Mirco Bergamasco penalties took Italy inside of range of feat at 12-14 with 7 mins left and the throng stirring up a charge of sound as they sensed story in the making.
Negative tactics: England physical education instructor Martin Johnson
England showed only sufficient restraint to expostulate strongly on the right from a lineout and after James Haskell had battered on in to the 22, Wilkinson eased in to a informed slight - dump behind in to the pocket, take the pass, take target and fire.
Yet Italian tails were up and they kept coming, forcing Johnson"s rattled group to adhere on, meaningful one fake move would throw it all away.
So they belligerent it out and, from a scrum on the left, deputy scrum half Paul Hodgson upheld left for Delon Armitage to flog the round out and finish the agony. It was a suitably handicapped culmination and the crescendo of boos that tumbled down from the stands represented so majority satisfactory comment.
This should never have come down to a print finish. It should have been a horribly biased affair. Italy, with no genuine Test-class backs, were calm - as ever - to foot the round afar and solve for scrapping and paltry and harrying and hoping.
They used their strong pack to pressurise England at the breakdown. Their forwards, Alessandro Zanni and Marco Bortolami being the majority prominent, gave them pushing momentum.
But England played in to their hands by permitting counsel to empty the certainty gained from that critical win over Wales. Far as well often, they over behind in to the horrible settlement that scarred their autumn array - if in doubt, punt. Anywhere will do. It was aimless, horrible and definitely ineffective.
It was witless ping-pong. At Twickenham, Danny Care"s accurate box-kicks had worried the Welsh and set a height for so majority of England"s attacks.
Here, Wilkinson - often - but additionally Riki Flutey, Mat Tait, Mark Cueto, Ugo Monye and Armitage kicked long. But they kicked to men, not to space, and but the fill-in of a strong, mutual chase.
England hold the top palm at the lineout but there weren"t sufficient touch-finders to feat that Italian weakness.
hair wig
No comments:
Post a Comment