England v Italy - Squads and Match Thread

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ENGLAND v ITALY
14 February 2015
KO: 14:30
Twickenham Stadium

Referee: John Lacey (IRFU)
AR1: Pascal Gauzere (FFR)
AR2: Mike Fraser (NZR)
TMO: George Ayoub (ARU)

*****
So England have confirmed an unchanged squad after Parling is still ruled out injured.

ENGLAND's 23

Starting XV: Mike Brown (Harlequins), Anthony Watson (Bath Rugby), Jonathan Joseph (Bath Rugby), Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints), Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby). George Ford (Bath Rugby), Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Joe Marler (Harlequins), Dylan Hartley (Northampton Saints), Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers), Dave Attwood (Bath Rugby), George Kruis (Saracens), James Haskell (Wasps), Chris Robshaw (captain, Harlequins), Billy Vunipola (Saracens).

Replacements: Tom Youngs (Leicester Tigers), Mako Vunipola (Saracens), Kieran Brookes (Newcastle Falcons), Nick Easter (Harlequins), Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers), Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens), Danny Cipriani (Sale Sharks), Billy Twelvetrees (Gloucester Rugby).

ITALY
Luke McLean; Leonardo Sarto, Luca Morisi, Andrea Masi, Giovanbattista Venditti; Kelly Haimona, Edoardo Gori; Alberto DeMarchi, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Martin Castrogiovanni; George Biagi, Marco Bortolami; Francesco Minto, Mauro Bergamasco, Sergio Parisse.
Replacements: Andrea Manici, Matias Aguero, Dario Chistolini, Joshua Furno, Samuela Vunisa, Guglielmo Palazzani, Tommaso Allan, Giulio Bisegni

[Sgt_Pooly]

That was better May, such an infuriating player. He goes from the sublime to the ridiculous

[Liam]

Basics letting Italy down again unfortunately

[TightHEAD]

We want 50

[Sgt_Pooly]

He's done nothing apart from his try against the AB's to be fair.

I not a May fan in the slightest but that was nice.

[quinsforever]

i know. joseph has only scored against cr4p opposition...

[Hood83]

Nathan you must admit Youngs has not had a good game.

[TightHEAD]

Dads army

[Heaf]

nice try.

ref does need to start pinging the italian slowing down and not rolling away now. its starting to be a bit too obvious for me.

They've been hanging around on the wrong side of the ruck all day and interfering with the 9 ...

[Sgt_Pooly]

Youngs has played ok, not his best game but steady.

[quinsforever]

easter. love love love it.

[quinsforever]

supersubs england...as i predicted

[Geordie]

Tom Youngs has been very prominent in the tight exchanges and tackling since he came on.
I really think he's well ahead of Hartley in that at the moment.

He looks more aggressive and combative.

[nathan]

Nathan you must admit Youngs has not had a good game.

He's not been at his best, but to say he's had a bad game is rubbish

[The Saint]

English thrashings against Italy are becoming a bit too routine. The Italians need to sort their rugby out. Brunel surely has a worse record than his predecessor by now.

[TightHEAD]

This could all be a bit of a false dawn, we haven't played anyone any good yet this six nations.

[Steve_rugby]

Ashton - 4 tries against Italy and hailed as best in the world. Few weeks later disappears.

Amazing how some fans let things go to their heads.

What's that got to do with this match ?

[Sgt_Pooly]

Cips kicking is awful, bring back Farrell!

[TightHEAD]

This could all be a bit of a false dawn, we haven't played anyone any good yet this six nations.

[bedfordwelsh]

We want 50

Be a shock if not more like 60 and no disrespect to Italy as you guys are the only team they not beaten but that's what teams need to do against them, as again I feel there will be no slam won this year so it we decided by points diff.

[bedfordwelsh]

This could all be a bit of a false dawn, we haven't played anyone any good yet this six nations.

Well not for full 80 anyway

[Geordie]

Tweveltrees has been solid today...but I still cringe at the amount of tackles he falls off...too many for this level.

[The Saint]

Ashton - 4 tries against Italy and hailed as best in the world. Few weeks later disappears.

Amazing how some fans let things go to their heads.

What's that got to do with this match ?

Nothing I guess. It's just last week I said I could see May becoming the next Ashton, hence the reference.

[VinceWLB]

That last try was a great example of a try that shouldn't have been awarded as there was a new maul being formed and thus player in front of the ball carrier.

[TightHEAD]

Ireland will give us a test, if we start like we have the last two games then we will be in trouble.

[Guest]

This could all be a bit of a false dawn, we haven't played anyone any good yet this six nations.

Just remember that if you do the grand slam and try to claim it as a great achievement!

[HammerofThunor]

That last try was a great example of a try that shouldn't have been awarded as there was a new maul being formed and thus player in front of the ball carrier.

It wasn't a new maul. The Italian defence sheared off so it carried on.

[nathan]

Cips needs to work on his kicking, running game is good though

[quinsforever]

not sure why 36 and cips are kicking for territory at this stage. run everything. italy are very tired.

[Duty281]

Sort the opening quarter out, England!

Ireland will annihilate the Red Rose if Lancaster's lads begin like they have against Wales and Italy. And it appears to be a long-term problem, having happened for the past three years on multiple occasions!

[quinsforever]

That last try was a great example of a try that shouldn't have been awarded as there was a new maul being formed and thus player in front of the ball carrier.

hilarious. and obviously that would change the outcome of the match.

[TightHEAD]

We want 50

[nathan]

What a fluff by Italy, good build up though

[quinsforever]

great tackle watson there!

[Steve_rugby]

Great tackle by Watson to stop the try.

[VinceWLB]

That last try was a great example of a try that shouldn't have been awarded as there was a new maul being formed and thus player in front of the ball carrier.

It was a new maul. The Italian defence sheared off e from so it carried on.

But n°20 tried to stop it, so there was an obstruction and a penalty should have been awarded to Italia. There is too much room for interpretation around the maul i grant you.

[Heaf]

Irish commentator's just mentioned Italy would be three points up if their kicker had taken his kicks. He's missed four. Not good enough for this level.

False argument as the game changes if you kick a penalty due to the restart but I don't follow his maths either? Plus what about the England missed kicks?

[TightHEAD]

On another day italy could have won this, england have just been a bit soft in defence.

[Breadvan]

Have to tighten up in devence and be more clinical in attack in the first half hour in Dublin or it'll be another 2011 shooing.

[Geordie]

Not the most complete performance by England. Defence was too loose and must be improved for the rest of the comp.

Have we seen the future England 15 in Watson...looks made for that position.

[quinsforever]

"that's the two0 half-scots trying to combine to create something - dont say anything Brian" LOL

[HammerofThunor]

That last try was a great example of a try that shouldn't have been awarded as there was a new maul being formed and thus player in front of the ball carrier.

It was a new maul. The Italian defence sheared off e from so it carried on.

But n°20 tried to stop it, so there was an obstruction and a penalty should have been awarded to Italia. There is too much room for interpretation around the maul i grant you.

Sorry I had a typo. It wasn't a new maul. The Italian's sheared off rather than england breaking off, so it was the same maul and no obstruction.

[nathan]

Have to tighten up and be more clinical in attack in the first half hour in Dublin or it'll be another 2011 shooing.

I fear it will, we've gone of the boil again at the moment

[TightHEAD]

Watson is a better fullback than winger

[Geordie]

Ah tackling again!!!!!!!!

[TightHEAD]

Try get on with it!

Why the TMO?

[nathan]

May should of done better there

[The Saint]

May defending like Ashton there. Waiting for the May aplologists now.

[HammerofThunor]

Shocking by May

[Steve_rugby]

Well played Italy

[quinsforever]

pass looked forward to me

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