England v Italy Match Build Up Thread

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Date: Sat 9th March
Time: 16.45
Venue: TWICKENHAM Stadium, London
Referee: Nic Berry (Australia) ((Who???))

England starting XV (472 caps)

15 Elliot Daly (Wasps, 28 caps), 14 Joe Cokanasiga (Bath Rugby, 3 caps), 13 Manu Tuilagi (Leicester Tigers, 30 caps), 12 Ben Te’o (Worcester Warriors 16 caps), 11 Jonny May (Leicester Tigers, 43 caps), 10 Owen Farrell (Saracens, 68 caps) (captain), 9 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 83 caps), 1 Ellis Genge (Leicester Tigers, 7 caps)  , 2 Jamie George (Saracens, 35 caps), 3 Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins, 20 caps), 4 Joe Launchbury (Wasps, 56 caps), 5 George Kruis (Saracens, 30 caps), 6 Brad Shields (Wasps, 6 caps), 7 Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 8 caps), 8 Billy Vunipola (Saracens, 39 caps)

Finishers (203 caps)

16 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs, 9 caps), 17 Ben Moon (Exeter Chiefs, 6 caps), 18 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers, 83 caps), 19 Nathan Hughes (Wasps, 20 caps), 20 Mark Wilson (Newcastle Falcons, 11 caps), 21 Dan Robson (Wasps, 1 cap), 22 George Ford (Leicester Tigers, 53 caps), 23 Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 20 caps)




Italy squad for England:




15 Jayden HAYWARD (Benetton Rugby, 15 caps)
14 Edoardo PADOVANI (Zebre Rugby Club, 18 caps)*
13 Luca MORISI (Benetton Rugby, 23 caps)*
12 Michele CAMPAGNARO (Wasps, 41 caps)*
11 Angelo ESPOSITO (Benetton Rugby, 18 caps)
10 Tommaso ALLAN (Benetton Rugby, 46 caps)
9  Tito TEBALDI (Benetton Rugby, 30 caps) 
8 Sergio PARISSE (Stade Francais, 136 caps) – capitano
7 Abraham Jurgens STEYN (Benetton Rugby, 28 caps)
6 Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 14 caps)
5 Dean BUDD (Benetton Rugby, 19 caps)
4 Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 10 caps)*
3 Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 20 caps)
2 Luca BIGI (Benetton Rugby, 17 caps)
1 Andrea LOVOTTI (Zebre Rugby Club, 32 caps)*
 
A disposizione:
16 Leonardo GHIRALDINI (Stade Toulousian, 102 caps)
17 Cherif TRAORE' (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)*
18 Tiziano PASQUALI (Benetton Rugby, 16 caps)
19 David SISI (Zebre Rugby Club, 3 cap)
20 Jake POLLEDRI (Gloucester Rugby, 6 caps)
21 Guglielmo PALAZZANI (Zebre Rugby Club, 30 caps)
22 Ian MCKINLEY (Benetton Rugby, 7 caps) 
23 Tommaso CASTELLO (Zebre Rugby Club, 17 caps)



So after the come down of losing to Wales in Cardiff, England now have Italy at home as a chance to get the chariot back on track. Bonus points so far mean they are in with a good shout of a tournament win even if the GS and Triple Crown are out the window. They'll want to test out a few fringe players, avoid injuries and get the full 5 points from this fixture.

Italy so far look poor, they've yet to get a win and if history means anything will have to wait another week too. But anything can happen, they often make England work hard for any points and can catch the English off guard sometimes, dragging them into a scrap that suits the Azzurri. Get ready for another long afternoon of certain hosts and pundits gushing over Parisse as he gets in the way of everything good the Italians try, but looks so good doing it.

[LondonTiger]

And that is why Jones likes Daly

[Scottrf]

He’s being sarcastic Geordie because people were complaining about Farrell doing it for vanity or something earlier in the competition.

[BigGee]

Tommy Allen has become a half decent international FH. It shows that sometimes you have just got to stick with someone and let them find their feet at this level.

[No 7&1/2]

Nice try. Already obvious it's going to be a battle of concentration more than anything.
A few people complained about the celebration Geordie. Much less meaningful than celebrating a wwe star...apparently.

[BigGee]

You get the feeling that this might be a high scoring game

[Scottrf]

Rhino came crashing through there.

[BamBam]

Yeah was being sarcastic GF/Heaf.. There was a discussion a few weeks ago about Farrell was attention seeking or some other such nonsense

[Heaf]

Thought so

[Geordie]

He’s being sarcastic Geordie because people were complaining about Farrell doing it for vanity or something earlier in the competition.

Aahh Roger!

[Geordie]

Yeah was being sarcastic GF/Heaf.. There was a discussion a few weeks ago about Farrell was attention seeking or some other such nonsense

Ahh ok mate...didnt see that...

[LondonTiger]

Te'o does have pretty soft hands, so I am hoping we may see Sinckler and Te'o carrying hard but also using short balls to put Genge and Manu into space. Manu at 13 also means he can use his outside arc and hand off.

Does that count as a prediction?

[Geordie]

I want to see Cockasaniga v Scotland next weekend.

Hes a different winger to what we have. He gives you so many options...and with May on the other side...that's two cracking wingers.

[No 7&1/2]

I agree GF. I see those 2 and Watson as the best back 3. Daly the perfect 23.

[Geordie]

Shields is having a good busy game actually

[Scottrf]

That was so good by Manu.

[Geordie]

I agree GF. I see those 2 and Watson as the best back 3. Daly the perfect 23.

I think Cockasaniga is showing that hes more than a battering ram. Very good hands and as I thought in the AIs...he shows alot of game intelligence

[LondonTiger]

Shields is having a good busy game actually

I feel he has been trying to hard to impress and forcing passes that are not on. Good support for the try.

[Rugby Fan]

I like winning, but I never like this kind of stadium atmosphere, which feels completely disengaged already. Not blaming anyone, it's just been too easy so far.

[Heaf]

England defensive set-up from that last scrum was odd ... left acres of space

[robbo277]

Shields unlucky not to win a turnover in that passage before half-time, Te'o trying to slow the ball down stopped him latching on.

31-7. Game over. England need another 4 tries in the second half to keep the momentum going into the Scotland game. Let's use the bench now, get some hungry players on to prove themselves. Cowan-Dickie and Robson at half-time for me.

[lostinwales]

Nice positioning for his try apart, has Shields actually done anything? Ruck inspecting aside..

Cokanawhatever - fabulous going forward, not so great defensively against small guys and does leave a lot of space. Work in progress

[Heaf]

England are letting Italy make far too much easy ground though ... can't afford to do the same against Scotland.

[Sgt_Pooly]

Shields not impressing so far despite a try. He keeps throwing away possession...I thought these Kiwi's were skillful?

[Rugby Fan]

Every minute of this second half which passes, is another minute Robson doesn't play for England.

[robbo277]

Heaf- I think we're missing Lawes a bit here. Sinckler has put in some big hits, but the way Lawes gets off theblknr and smashes people for loss ground makes it hard for teams to get their carry game going.

[Geordie]

Tom Curry is making it difficult for underhill to walk straight back in.

[Heaf]

Heaf- I think we're missing Lawes a bit here. Sinckler has put in some big hits, but the way Lawes gets off theblknr and smashes people for loss ground makes it hard for teams to get their carry game going.

Yep that could be right.

[robbo277]

That's obviously meant to be off "the line". Trying to touchtype off my phone with my eyes up!

[EnglishReign]

Please get Robson on. This game was wrapped up after 30 mins.

[Guest]

Every minute of this second half which passes, is another minute Robson doesn't play for England.

Crazy stuff. Care must clearly still be second choice.

[Geordie]

England wont he happy at conceding these tries.

[EnglishReign]

Hmm, two tries down Cokanasiga's wing now. Nowell still a clear starter for me.

[Heaf]

Again - too much easy ground beforehand ...

[BigGee]

Told you Allen was a decent player, he saw the space there very well.

[robbo277]

Not much big Joe could do there, was left a little isolated.

[EnglishReign]

Does anyone else not rate Te'o all that much?

[robbo277]

Te'o hasn't been brilliant, but Tuilagi has looked much better at 13. Maybe just because it's Italy, I'd like to see him play there again for Scotland. So maybe we stick with Te'o for that one as well?

[Heaf]

Does anyone else not rate Te'o all that much?

Can't say I've noticed him much ...

[Geordie]

Wow Robson on.

[Geordie]

Would everyone agree Kruis is first choice lock.

[Heaf]

Works for me

[No 7&1/2]

Not for me when everyone is fit. In fact he's 4th choice. Itoje Launchbury lawes on the bench.

[No 7&1/2]

I think Cokanasiga has played himself to a start next week.

[robbo277]

I'd start with the same backs. Let's see what they do against a real team.

Possibly the same with the pack. Maybe bring back Wilson but happy to give Shields another go. Possibly with Itoje coming back onto the bench.

[Geordie]

See I think kruis offers our most complete lock. And hes back in form again.

[lostinwales]

I think Cokanasiga has played himself to a start next week.

Power, awareness, handling in attack all wonderful. Positioning in defense not so much. We'll see

[Geordie]

I dont think Shields has been that bad however I would start Wilson next week.

[lostinwales]

Still think Manu/Slade centre combo looks more dangerous

[No 7&1/2]

I think a Wilson call is fair enough. Too hard to prove against Italy despite it being the best 6 performance thus far. Not sure Cokanasiga has down too much if anything wrong from defensive position though. The one change I really want to see from Wales is genge to start.

[robbo277]

I think Wilson is still marginally ahead of Shields. But let's find out about Shields properly.

Similarly with Te'o. Tuilagi has had his best game. Is it because he's at 13 or because it's Italy? Let's find out, and let's see if Te'o can step up too.

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