ENGLAND vs ITALY - 13/02/21 - build up / match thread

[TightHEAD]

First topic message reminder :

ENGLAND vs ITALY - 13/02/21

Kick off - HQ - 14:15

England need to bounce back well, good time for Italy to turn up and disrupt their plans as best they can.

Line ups

England: Daly; Watson, Slade, Farrell,May; Ford, Youngs (Mr Untouchable); M Vunipola, Cowan-Dickie, Sinckler, Itoje, Hill, Lawes, Curry, B Vunipola??.

Replacements: George, Genge, Stuart, Ewels, Earl, Willis, Robson, Malins.

Italy: Trulla; Sperandio, Brex, Canna, Ioane; Garbisi, Varney; Lovotti, Bigi (capt), Riccioni, Lazzaroni, Sisi, Negri, Meyer, Lamaro.

Replacements: Lucchesi, Fischetti, Zilocchi, Cannone, Ruzza, Palazzani, Allan, Mori.

[Collapse2005]

Italy need to turn the screw, this England team is there for the taking.

Best idea to wum before your match? Annoyingly I fancy ireland to win anyway but dont descend to miaow levels.

[No 7&1/2]

Nice there. We're back to playing tactical kicking well to create space. Lawes offload there and hills pass lovely.

[Geordie]

Johnny Hill passed better than Billy V, Ben youngs and Daly...

[RiscaGame]

Nice finish.

[king_carlos]

It's so nice seeing Watson in space.

Credit where due to Daly that was back to his better work. Cuts one man out with his step and pace, draws a second man and gives the pass to release the outside runner. Much much better.

[Blanko]

Looks like if you play for England you don’t have to pass it backwards

[Collapse2005]

Great steal Italy

[Geordie]

Great pick up there by Johnny Hill.

The lads playing very well

[BigGee]

Great turnover from Italy, they were up against it there

[No 7&1/2]

Looks like if you play for England you don’t have to pass it backwards

They're adapting to the ref. What we've been calling for them to do.

[king_carlos]

That was an excellent touch finder from Farrell. Not a great angle and he made about 50 metres without any risk.

[RiscaGame]

England were building pretty nicely before that turnover.

[Blanko]

Looks like if you play for England you don’t have to pass it backwards

They're adapting to the ref. What we've been calling for them to do.

[king_carlos]

Excellent turnover. Soaked up the pressure and chose the right ruck to compete. Italy don't compete many rucks preferring to fan out and cover space which makes it vital that they compete well when players commit otherwise the system develops gaps quickly. Very good defence.

[Geordie]

Got to say this game Is made for Willis....his breakdown and bIg carrying game. I'd get him on at half time to give him as much time as possible

[king_carlos]

Got to say this game Is made for Willis....his breakdown and bIg carrying game. I'd get him on at half time to give him as much time as possible

Billy has again been largely anonymous. Lawes to lock and Willis to flanker would add a lot of breakdown pressure.

[king_carlos]

Just as I criticise Billy he sparks into life!

[Geordie]

Got to say this game Is made for Willis....his breakdown and bIg carrying game. I'd get him on at half time to give him as much time as possible

Billy has again been largely anonymous. Lawes to lock and Willis to flanker would add a lot of breakdown pressure.

I'd just take Lawes off Straight replacement. Hill is playing very well...cant take him off

[Scottrf]

Every promising run we are giving possession back right away. Two Watson runs and now that.

[Geordie]

Just as I criticise Billy he sparks into life!

commentator's curse...

[king_carlos]

That's the much needed leadership Ford brings to this side. Half the pack were wanting to scrum again in a dangerous position but Ford just grabbed the ball, told them to get out his way and used the free chance to clear his lines.

[No 7&1/2]

The plus point is that we should see early changes in that back row. Doesnt quite work for me even when we're playing well. Other side though is I'd love to see Malins on early but with 2 backs on the bench....

[king_carlos]

Got to say this game Is made for Willis....his breakdown and bIg carrying game. I'd get him on at half time to give him as much time as possible

Billy has again been largely anonymous. Lawes to lock and Willis to flanker would add a lot of breakdown pressure.

I'd just take Lawes off Straight replacement.  Hill is playing very well...cant take him off

Hill has been good but Lawes even better in my opinion. His carrying has improved so much under Jones and he is making much needed yards as usual. He's more reliable for making hard yards around the fringes than Billy at the moment.... Hopefully that curse strikes again!

[No 7&1/2]

Some finish.

[BigGee]

Brilliant try from May

[No 7&1/2]

And before someone says it....there is no law which says you cant jump a tackle.

[Geordie]

Ok thats sheer class by May...

[Scottrf]

What a finish!

[RiscaGame]

Very nice finish.

[king_carlos]

Filthy.

[Guest]

Oosh! Awesome finish!

[TJ]

Adamson is having a mare! How many forward passes and knock ons? first two england tries should both have been disallowed

[king_carlos]

I've been very critical of recent selections but I must say some of the players who have been playing poorly are showing signs of form. Yes, Italy are the weakest side in the tournament but it's still good to see.

[Geordie]

Got to say this game Is made for Willis....his breakdown and bIg carrying game. I'd get him on at half time to give him as much time as possible

Billy has again been largely anonymous. Lawes to lock and Willis to flanker would add a lot of breakdown pressure.

I'd just take Lawes off Straight replacement.  Hill is playing very well...cant take him off

Hill has been good but Lawes even better in my opinion. His carrying has improved so much under Jones and he is making much needed yards as usual. He's more reliable for making hard yards around the fringes than Billy at the moment.... Hopefully that curse strikes again!

Interesting..

Willis will continue to make the hard yards required...more than Lawes I would suspect...then Hill can continue in more open play links...

[king_carlos]

Adamson is having a mare!  How many forward passes and knock ons?  first two england tries should both have been disallowed

Where was the knock on in the second try? Genuine question not trying to be confrontational or say there definitely wasn't one. I didn't spot anything live and will likely watch the game back at some point so would like to look out for it.

The first try shouldn't have stood. Obvious double movement and I think May knocked it on in the chase. I think England had a penalty advantage to come back for though.

[TJ]

forward pass in the second try. Infact two

[eirebilly]

And before someone says it....there is no law which says you cant jump a tackle.

Pretty sure there is, in open field play but not one for diving to the line.

Some finish by May

[Geordie]

Why has it taken so much criticism this week to see England tweak the tactics to open it up a hit...

[Geordie]

forward pass in the second try.  Infact two

For the Watson try? Where?

Ps What about the Italian try?

[No 7&1/2]

And before someone says it....there is no law which says you cant jump a tackle.

Pretty sure there is, in open field play but not one for diving to the line.

Some finish by May

Find it and I'll have some real humble pie to eat as it's been an annoyance to me for a long time when commentators mention it.

[king_carlos]

forward pass in the second try.  Infact two

Which player/pass? I'll have a rewind later. I was going to during half time but a rather excitable niece has woken up. In fairness I did get up at 4am to watch cricket and am now watching back to back Six Nations games so am not being the most attentive uncle...

[BigGee]

Italy have let the game get away from them now, crazy trying to run it out of their own half with 2 mins on the clock. It is that kind of naive play that is killing them. They are standing up well physically to England but their tactics are very poor

[Scottrf]

And before someone says it....there is no law which says you cant jump a tackle.

Pretty sure there is, in open field play but not one for diving to the line.

Some finish by May

Find it and I'll have some real humble pie to eat as it's been an annoyance to me for a long time when commentators mention it.

The only law is around dangerous play that gets applied to that situation.

[RiscaGame]

I do agree Adamson seems to be missing a lot. Didn’t see anything in the second England try mind.

[No 7&1/2]

God the angles on that May finish. It's just gets better. If he hadn't got such a fragile nose the man would be amazing.

[Geordie]

Ironic they also drop poor Lawrence and then open it up!!

[eirebilly]

And before someone says it....there is no law which says you cant jump a tackle.

Pretty sure there is, in open field play but not one for diving to the line.

Some finish by May

Find it and I'll have some real humble pie to eat as it's been an annoyance to me for a long time when commentators mention it.

I will have a look but i was certain there was a law for jumping tackles in open play, a law against dangerous play? I would love to find it but a too lazy

Nothing wrong with that finish though, it was a thing of beauty.

[eirebilly]

Ironic they also drop poor Lawrence and then open it up!!

Sure he must be absolutely gutted, this was the type of open play that he would do well in.

[No 7&1/2]

Scott mentions the only thing ever mentioned. I cant remember ever watching a match and it being penalised. You often see a player jumping to catch now as well and never blown. An often repeated fallacy from commentators which enters the public conscious.

[Sgt_Pooly]

Took a while for England to warm up, but we're playing pretty well so far.

Youngs passing has bad even by his low standards, poor Ford having to deal with those every game.

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