Six Nations 2024: Italy 24-27 England

England dominated the second half to come from in the wait on of and open their Six Countries campaign with victory in Italy.

Alex Mitchell’s attempt after the interval overturned a narrow deficit earlier than George Ford’s boot edged England sure.

The Azzurri had threatened a serious rep over England as Alessandro Garbisi and Tommaso Allan scored either side of an Elliot Daly conclude for the guests.

Monty Ioane scored a late comfort and earned a losing bonus point in Italy’s smallest defeat by England.

Victory for the guests, meanwhile, ended their bustle of four opening-recreation defeats in the Six Countries.

Jamie George took over the captaincy reins whereas head coach Borthwick also gave five England debuts for the first time since seven players received their first cap against Scotland in 2012.

Fraser Dingwall and man of the match Ethan Roots impressed from the open up earlier than Fin Smith, Chandler Cunningham-South and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso started their Take a look at careers off the bench.

England host Wales in spherical two at Twickenham subsequent Saturday, whereas the Azzurri scramble to defending champions Eire the next afternoon.

• Italy v England – relive England’s rep as it came about
• Six Countries fixtures & BBC protection crucial beneficial properties

Contemporary England period stutters to winning open up

Sooner than a ball became once kicked George suggested England would point out more potency in attack, as in contrast with earlier facets to wear the crimson rose.

The hooker’s words proved to be of some substance, in intent if no longer offer. The guests threw the ball spherical early on as flanker Roots carried tirelessly and fly Tommy Freeman reduce incisive lines all afternoon.

But the defence, beneath the steering of novel specialist coach Felix Jones, became once ruthlessly exposed in the first half as successfully as exhibiting glimpses of England’s direction.

Jones coached South Africa’s defence for wait on-to-wait on World Cup triumphs and wanted his novel England charges to impose a blitz technique on the Azzurri attackers.

As a replacement, Italy ripped via early on as Juan Ignacio Brex pierced the line earlier than scrum-half Alessandro Garbisi dotted down beneath the posts.

Freeman stepped wait on onto a whipped shuffle by Freddie Steward at hand Daly a sprint-in as England hit wait on nevertheless they were undone again moments later in a seemingly easy wrap-spherical shuffle in midfield.

Brex became once key again as he obtained a flat shuffle and returned it to Paolo Garbisi in the wait on of him earlier than the flowing shuffle ended with Allan – changing into his nation’s leading beneficial properties and attempt-scorer in the Six Countries – beneath the posts.

But the second half became once better for Borthwick’s side.

Mitchell confirmed all of his nous to wriggle free and snipe over as England rapid responded to the words of their coaches after the ruin. The defence also tightened up and the blitz started to draw conclude raise out as it forced Italy’s pacy backs internal and into heavy traffic.

It meant the Azzurri did no longer ranking a second-half point till after the eightieth minute when Ioane scampered sure with the recreation already misplaced, nevertheless competitors Wales subsequent week will certainly pose a more sustained examination of Jones and his England defence.

Debutants handed probability

Over half of England’s starting up crew became once assorted from the side beaten by the Springboks in the World Cup semi-finals in October.

Owen Farrell’s resolution to develop himself unavailable noticed his pal and prolonged-time crew-mate George elected captain by Borthwick.

The global retirement of Courtney Lawes, Ben Youngs and Jonny Can also, an hurt to Manu Tuilagi and several abroad players ineligible for need meant it became once a balanced squad of ride and formative years named to face a side who had misplaced their final 29 games in Rome.

Contemporary-Zealand born Roots became once the standout of the five novel faces and gradually found himself thrown the ball in the loose to dent the blue wall, whereas Freeman starred on his fourth global appearance as he looked to come internal and develop work for himself.

Cunningham-South became once radiant off the bench and made a late surge down the left whereas Feyi-Waboso, identified for his principal working, produced an fabulous protecting sort out draw the coolest touchline to the adulation of his crew-mates in the final stages.

England are most likely to count on formative years closely in the impending weeks when accidents, which bear already accounted for Marcus Smith and Ellis Genge’s late unavailability in the Eternal Metropolis, inevitably notify in confidence to appear.

But the early indicators for Borthwick and his workers are promising.

‘I’m delighted we got here via the enlighten’

England head coach Steve Borthwick: “It is pleasing to open up the tournament with a rep. I mediate we are in a position to manufacture via this tournament and can assemble better as a crew.

“As you open up taking a look now, there is sort of a disagreement there attributable to we are playing against an Italian side dominated by Treviso players, who play together week in and week out.

“And also you explore an England crew with five debutants, so we knew it became once going to be a enlighten and it in fact became once.

“There is plenty to work upon, nevertheless I’m delighted we got here via the enlighten.”

‘It is no longer dazzling ample’

Italy captain Michele Lamaro: “It is always onerous if you’re that conclude and it’s doubtless you’ll possibly maybe no longer assemble the rep. We played a blinding first half.

“We 100% must assemble better in some areas of the recreation, attributable to clearly it be in fact hard if it’s doubtless you’ll possibly maybe well also must protect that unparalleled and we must always manufacture power in some unspecified time in the future of the recreation.

“It on the total in fact became once that 20 minutes into the second half when we struggled to assemble out of our half.

“We now must mediate of Eire subsequent week. It is no longer dazzling ample honestly. Now we must always push and we must always manufacture on this efficiency.”

Line-ups

Italy: Allan; Pani, Brex, Menoncello, Ioane; P Garbisi, A Garbisi; Fischetti, Lucchesi, Ceccarelli, N Cannone, Ruzza, Negri, Lamaro (capt), L Cannone.

Replacements: Nicotera, Spagnolo, Zilocchi, Zambonin, Izekor, Zuliani, Varney, Mori

Sin-bin: Lamaro (80)

England: Steward; Freeman, Slade, Dingwall, Daly; Ford, Mitchell; Marler, George (capt), Stuart, Itoje, Chessum, Roots, Underhill, Earl.

Replacements: Dan, Obano, Cole, Coles, Cunningham-South, Care, F Smith, Feyi-Waboso

Sin-bin: Daly (75)

Match officers

Referee: Paul Williams (Contemporary Zealand)

Touch judges: Nic Berry (Australia) & Nika Amashukeli (Georgia)

TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia)