Italy vs England - minute-by-minute

[Puja]

Thanks all - the comments are appreciated every time.

Minute 71: Itoje is a bloody nuisance at the maul and Italy do well to get the ball out somehow and stop him turning it over. Itoje is then in on the ruck and has hands on for long enough that he can probably feel aggrieved not to've got the penalty. As it is, he makes a mess of the Italian possession and, with slow ball, England's defence press Italy steadily backwards.

However, after three phases, we have absolutely banjaxed our defensive alignment and somehow ended up with a 7-on-3. Slade does his best Ollie Chessum impression in attempting to his the ersatz 10, but doesn't get there before the ball is away, turning it into a 6-on-2. Freeman does very well to blitz up and then tread water, covering two players, but unfortunately Steward doesn't trust that he'll reach the second man with his cover tackle and cuts inside, rather than drifting, leaving Italy with 2-on-0 down the outside.

Thankfully, FSmith and Earl have done an excellent job of pelting across to cover and Italy are forced to turn the ball back inside as they reach the 22.

Minute 72: Speaking of coming across, Cunningham-South has picked a nice angle to corner-flag at and hasn't fallen into the trap of going at full-tilt and being unable to redirect for the ball back inside. He can thus speed up and melt the Italian winger as he runs onto the ball. FSmith scrags the man taking the offload and Earl makes a mess of the Italian ruck and, by the time the ball is out, England have a full and aggressive defensive line set up. It's been a failure of the defensive system, but one that was rescued very well by excellent scramble.

Roots has a very good minute. First he does a CGS impression on Garbisi just after the ball leaves his hands to rattle him. Then, two phases later, he puts in a good tackle and is immediately in over the ball. Varney joins the ruck and tries to lever the ball out, so Roots adapts, abandons the ball and rucks Varney off it, leaving the tackle area open for Itoje to get hands on the ball. The ref gives the penalty and the turnover will go in the books as Itoje's, but that was a great job by Roots.

Minute 73: England kick the penalty downfield and Coles is on for Chessum. The lineout is secure ball to Roots at the front and we try a nice move where we dummy a drive and then feed it out to the backline. I want to see what happens here, cause we've got a fun diamond formation set up around Slade and it could be interesting, but Earl's pass isn't brilliant and Care fumbles it badly. I think that's more Care's fault - it's a simple pop pass and Earl should be giving it much more sympathetically, but an international scrum half should still be catching those.

Minute 74: Dan is now on, with Obano and Feyi Waboso still wondering if they're going to get more than a token cap today. This minute is taken up with failing to scrummage.

Minute 75: Italy break from the base and, once again, England prioritise line-speed over numbering up. It's Steward's turn this time to be the Ollie Chessum - a conventional drift would've seen Daly take the second man and him go out onto the winger to cover everybody, but he charges up on the inside man, Brex, and gets there just after the ball goes through the hands. In fairness, he does absolutely ruin Brex, but it means that Daly now has to run behind him to try and reach the winger. Daly does get there, but we lose 10m as the winger uses a bit of footwork to step Daly and I think I remember how Daly ends up bringing the winger down from my first watch.

Our defence for the next few phases is more conventionally aggressive and we push Italy backwards, eventually ending in a scrum. However, the Italian director is showing many big-screen replays of how exactly Daly brought the winger down and the ref has spotted them...

[Puja]

Minute 76: Obano is on, but his debut is going to be with 14 men, as Daly is rightfully yellowed for a clear and obvious trip. Italy kick for touch and take uncontested ball in the middle, which is slung straight out to midfield. Garbisi takes on a chip kick, which seems the obvious counter to this kind of aggressive defence, and it's a really good one, which Steward does a fantastic job to sweep up. An awful person might point out that he should've called mark, as his feet were in the 22, but thankfully we're not awful because it's a terrific bit of covering work and he then beats two tackles to stay on his feet long enough for the pack to get back around him.

Minute 77: England reset and form a caterpillar for Care to find touch. Italy take the lineout, but the throw's just too long and Dan does an excellent job to not snatch at the bouncing ball, but wait until he can bring it under control.

Minute 78: Slow ball and England had to chuck a lot of the pack in there to secure that ruck though and Care sets for another box-kick. It's a good one and Menoncello fumbles the catch straight into the arms of Cunningham-South who makes 20m before being taken into touch. This has been shown up by pundits as an example of CCS's talents, but I think it's an example of his rawness - he's tried to take an international winger on the outside for pace and been comfortably dealt with. If he'd run straight or stepped inside, he'd stand a good chance of going through the winger and, worst case scenario of him being brought down, we'd still keep high-quality attacking ball. As it is, hopefully he's learned a lesson about how the margins are different at the top level and the pace that sees him burn people at U20s and club doesn't necessarily count the same here.

Feyi-Waboso comes on for the last 2 minutes and 14 seconds. Seems a bit of a dick move by Substitution Benchwarming to me, but IIRC, he does make good use out of his time.

Italy throw to the back and hit their man this time. They swing it wide and there is probably space there, but Slade is up so quickly that the pass goes loose and Ioane has to backtrack to pick it up. He hands off IFW and nearly rounds him on the outside, but the first tackle knocks him off balance and Feyi-Waboso does well to keep running and take him into touch at the second attempt.

Minute 79: Dan throws a decent lineout to Roots and England form a maul which makes a few metres. It goes out to midfield where Slade is once again at first receiver, offering to CCS on the bosh before popping out to Smith on the loop. He takes it to the line and feeds IFW - unfortunately the Italian defender doesn't believe Smith as an attacking option and drifts straight onto IFW, but Dingwall latches on and Feyi-Waboso keeps his feet and pumps his legs and what should've been a gainline stop is suddenly 5m made post-contact.

Quick ball and Dan carries dynamically, using footwork to avoid a straightforward bosh, and then Earl carries up afterwards, getting us to within 3m of the line.

Minute 80: CCS is next to try his luck, but his ball protection isn't great and a secondary tackler knocks it free as he's trying to fight for another metre. We are going back for an offside penalty though and FSmith kicks for the corner.

Dan throws to Itoje in the middle uncontested and we form a maul that looks dangerous and frankly Italy are smart to bring it down as early as they do, cause that could've been a yellow and PT if they'd done it any later. Care plays away with the advantage...

[Puja]

Minute 81: ...but he stumbles and it becomes slower ball as he's at the bottom of a ruck. Itoje does the same manouevre as he did in the first half - acting like he's going to pick and then passing to a player in a better position to drive for the line. Roots goes hard, but there's evidence of Strawbridge's influence - he's already looking to place the ball back as soon as it's clear he's not making the line. As such, Care is playing the ball away within 3 seconds of the initial point of contact, comnpared to the bad old days where that would've been 10 seconds plus and another ponderous pick and go into a prepared defence.

This ball goes wide left, the opposite direction, and Italy look stretched. It's Dingwall playing 10 this time and he doesn't make the right call - Italy have blitzed up on FSmith's runaround and the ball arrives to him the same time as the tackler. Fin evades the first man, but that forces him inside into the waiting arms of Italy's tight forwards who promptly remove the ball from him like a bully taking his pocket money. The referee goes back for the penalty and does in fact yellow card Lamaro for the deliberate collapse - I'd forgotten he'd done that and I have to say that's another occasion of noting the ref giving a belting decision. He's had a good game.

Minute 82: Speaking of decisions and their quality, Itoje has a confab with FSmith and calls for a scrum. This seems an iffy call to me - we've been looking threatening with the lineout drive all game - but I am working with the hindsight that it didn't pan out. I'm assuming the logic was that, with the openside off the pitch, Italy are down a man in their defensive system and tying in the pack will allow for a backs move that Fin quite fancies the idea of, and that's not a bad idea.

Unfortunately, we've got to get the ball out to do that and the touch judge signals what looks to be a pretty harsh penalty against Obano for hinging. Can't really see on the television, but it feels like a harsh call to go for a pen rather than a reset.

Minute 83: Italy kick the pen for touch and get dubiously straight back ball which is swung into midfield and run at FSmith. He tackles low, unlike his predecessor, and Italy have to start again. The ball is swung back wide and Izekor shows some very nimble feet to go with his size and beats two tackles to get them back on the front foot (jumps one of the tackles though, which is dubiously legal).

Minute 84: Italy go blind and we start off being numbered up, but somehow manage to work an underlap through our decision-making, with everyone pressing in on the inside man. It does force Italy to go back inside, but it then means that the inside man can basketball lob it over the top of Care and suddenly there's no-one in front of the two players on the wing. Steward does well to bring the runner down in space, but Italy are now well into our half and accelerating. The game has gone frantic - England players are shooting up on their own, Italy are trying wild passes and cross-kicks. Dan should have a turnover for a jackal, but Italy get the ball back and fling it out wide again.

Minute 85: Our defensive alignment has left Monty Ioane with 20m of space against Ethan Roots and it goes about how you'd think. Roots does pretty well to get enough on him to knock him over, but Ioane bounces quickly to his feet and goes on the outside again. Dingwall goes for him, but a good handoff and a good turn of pace sees Ioane on the outside and from there he makes it to the line.

A lot of people castigating Dingwall for the failed tackle, but Ioane had a lot of space, the angle on him, and Dingwall is clearly knackered after chucking himself about all game and then dealing with the harem scarem of the last two minutes of solid play. He should absolutely have done better, but it's an understandable miss against a decent winger. I will say as well that I'm pleased by how hard he fought to get back and try to make the last ditch tap tackle, when the easier option would've been to throw up his hands and accept the try - it doesn't work, but I like seeing players try and work hard for the national side.

Minute 86: Italy knock over the conversion and get a deserved losing bonus point and the game ends.

[Puja]

There were a few things that I learned from this:

1) Our defensive system is definitely a work in progress and there is absolutely method in the madness, but right now it's a mess. I'm hoping that 80 minutes of playing together, plus an extra week in camp, will have patched some of the decision-making, cause I'm a little bit worried about the Welsh running at that right now.

2) A few players got unfairly traduced by the board. Roots did well and probably deserved his MotM - very present in rucks, good solid carries, some good decision-making. Dingwall also had a decent game and I think a few are remembering the poor tackle at the end more than the good passing and running from earlier. Daly especially has been badly maligned - he did a good job, especially in returning kicks to our side, and I think people who are calling for his immediate ouster aren't seeing some of the value he's bringing. Disappointing that he doesn't have the confidence to run at a player one-on-one though.

3) Our attacking moves appear to entirely hinge on Henry Slade being fit and I genuinely don't know what the plan is if he gets injured. He stands at 10 so much for when we're trying to do something clever, and I don't know any of the replacements at 13 have the capacity to do that. He didn't do it especially well at the weekend, mind, so maybe we could just stick Dingwall there and get a similar result. Either way, if he goes off injured, I hope we have some semblance of a plan B.

4) We're actually quite close to something good here. There were a lot of things where one wrong decision or poor execution let us down and, if we can bring it all together, there's a good team somewhere under here. Certainly there's a significantly higher ceiling with this approach than with anything we were trying last season. Hopefully, we'll bring it all together this weekend and put 50 points on the Welsh, but there will be a few more frustrating performances to come, no doubt. I'd much rather we be trying to build something great though, and making mistakes along the way, rather than accepting low-risk-low-reward.

Puja

[Banquo]

There were a few things that I learned from this:

1) Our defensive system is definitely a work in progress and there is absolutely method in the madness, but right now it's a mess. I'm hoping that 80 minutes of playing together, plus an extra week in camp, will have patched some of the decision-making, cause I'm a little bit worried about the Welsh running at that right now.

2) A few players got unfairly traduced by the board. Roots did well and probably deserved his MotM - very present in rucks, good solid carries, some good decision-making. Dingwall also had a decent game and I think a few are remembering the poor tackle at the end more than the good passing and running from earlier. Daly especially has been badly maligned - he did a good job, especially in returning kicks to our side, and I think people who are calling for his immediate ouster aren't seeing some of the value he's bringing. Disappointing that he doesn't have the confidence to run at a player one-on-one though.

3) Our attacking moves appear to entirely hinge on Henry Slade being fit and I genuinely don't know what the plan is if he gets injured. He stands at 10 so much for when we're trying to do something clever, and I don't know any of the replacements at 13 have the capacity to do that. He didn't do it especially well at the weekend, mind, so maybe we could just stick Dingwall there and get a similar result. Either way, if he goes off injured, I hope we have some semblance of a plan B.

4) We're actually quite close to something good here. There were a lot of things where one wrong decision or poor execution let us down and, if we can bring it all together, there's a good team somewhere under here. Certainly there's a significantly higher ceiling with this approach than with anything we were trying last season. Hopefully, we'll bring it all together this weekend and put 50 points on the Welsh, but there will be a few more frustrating performances to come, no doubt. I'd much rather we be trying to build something great though, and making mistakes along the way, rather than accepting low-risk-low-reward.

Puja

Totally agree.

[Oakboy]

There were a few things that I learned from this:

1) Our defensive system is definitely a work in progress and there is absolutely method in the madness, but right now it's a mess. I'm hoping that 80 minutes of playing together, plus an extra week in camp, will have patched some of the decision-making, cause I'm a little bit worried about the Welsh running at that right now.

2) A few players got unfairly traduced by the board. Roots did well and probably deserved his MotM - very present in rucks, good solid carries, some good decision-making. Dingwall also had a decent game and I think a few are remembering the poor tackle at the end more than the good passing and running from earlier. Daly especially has been badly maligned - he did a good job, especially in returning kicks to our side, and I think people who are calling for his immediate ouster aren't seeing some of the value he's bringing. Disappointing that he doesn't have the confidence to run at a player one-on-one though.

3) Our attacking moves appear to entirely hinge on Henry Slade being fit and I genuinely don't know what the plan is if he gets injured. He stands at 10 so much for when we're trying to do something clever, and I don't know any of the replacements at 13 have the capacity to do that. He didn't do it especially well at the weekend, mind, so maybe we could just stick Dingwall there and get a similar result. Either way, if he goes off injured, I hope we have some semblance of a plan B.

4) We're actually quite close to something good here. There were a lot of things where one wrong decision or poor execution let us down and, if we can bring it all together, there's a good team somewhere under here. Certainly there's a significantly higher ceiling with this approach than with anything we were trying last season. Hopefully, we'll bring it all together this weekend and put 50 points on the Welsh, but there will be a few more frustrating performances to come, no doubt. I'd much rather we be trying to build something great though, and making mistakes along the way, rather than accepting low-risk-low-reward.

Puja

Food for thought, thank you. Perspective means a lot. How good/bad were we in the context of how good/bad were Italy? As always, till the 2nd games are played nobody really knows (and perhaps, not even then). However, picking the same 23 (as original) indicates that the management share the view of your 4th paragraph.

Whatever else, your efforts make next Saturday more interesting for me. Thanks.

[Mush]

4) We're actually quite close to something good here. There were a lot of things where one wrong decision or poor execution let us down and, if we can bring it all together, there's a good team somewhere under here. Certainly there's a significantly higher ceiling with this approach than with anything we were trying last season. Hopefully, we'll bring it all together this weekend and put 50 points on the Welsh, but there will be a few more frustrating performances to come, no doubt. I'd much rather we be trying to build something great though, and making mistakes along the way, rather than accepting low-risk-low-reward.

Puja

Thanks for all that work; I think i was on the edge of my seat more while reading that than watching the game itself!

I like the balance of your last paragraph and helped sum up my thoughts. (Especially the bit about putting 50 points on the Welsh, but I was only on 20)

[Mellsblue]

It's been a failure of the defensive system, but one that was rescued very well by excellent scramble.

A) I’ve been doing a bit of reading about F. Jones’s system and this is a feature of it, intended or not. Blitz up hard and then scramble hard, if broken.
B) The mbm is very much appreciated.

[Gandalf]

Many thanks Puja. Excellent reading.

[Banquo]

It's been a failure of the defensive system, but one that was rescued very well by excellent scramble.

A) I’ve been doing a bit of reading about F. Jones’s system and this is a feature of it, intended or not. Blitz up hard and then scramble hard, if broken.
B) The mbm is very much appreciated.

only failed twice in the first20 so thats ok

[Puja]

It's been a failure of the defensive system, but one that was rescued very well by excellent scramble.

A) I’ve been doing a bit of reading about F. Jones’s system and this is a feature of it, intended or not. Blitz up hard and then scramble hard, if broken.
B) The mbm is very much appreciated.

only failed twice in the first20 so thats ok

*Only was taken advantage of twice in the first 20

[Banquo]

A) I’ve been doing a bit of reading about F. Jones’s system and this is a feature of it, intended or not. Blitz up hard and then scramble hard, if broken.
B) The mbm is very much appreciated.

only failed twice in the first20 so thats ok

*Only was taken advantage of twice in the first 20

very fair!