If the manner of defeats to Scotland and Ireland was striking in the fact that England were never really in the contest, their historic Six Nations loss to Italy in Rome was worrying in an altogether different way.
Steve Borthwick has spoken of how of his side had learned from the tough times of 2024 and become a better side at winning Test matches when they become an arm-wrestle, backing his bench to close out games in the final quarter.
At the moment that Fin Smith struck his second penalty through the uprights, England had a lead of eight points, and a man advantage, with nearly 54 minutes on the clock. It was a position of supreme strength for a side that had made converting that scenario into victory a speciality during their 12-match winning run.
So what, exactly, went wrong for England in a horror half-hour? Here’s how they managed to throw the game away against an impressive Italy:
Six points in six minutes
England’s aerial game was generally better in Rome than it had been in against Scotland and Ireland, with 38 kicks in play representing a return to their strategy. Their problems, however, begin with Elliot Daly losing an aerial challenge from Monty Ioane, and Italy picking up the second ball.
The defensive line reforms well and Ellis Genge and Sam Underhill put in what appears live to be a strong double shot on Danilo Fischetti. A few phases later, the openside snaffles a breakdown turnover; England clear and force a knock on in the Italy half. But TMO Eric Gauzins calls down to referee Luc Ramos to inspect Underhill’s hit, finding clear shoulder to head contact. Italy convert the penalty to narrow the gap to five points.
Soon enough, they would whittle away further. A poor Fin Smith punt means England lose a kicking exchange, before Maro Itoje is beaten in the air at the lineout.
Italy play away quickly to the right off the turnover, getting to the edge. Tommy Freeman scrambles back to collect Louis Lynagh’s chip, but holds on as Italy jackal.
Garbisi knocks the penalty through again – in little more than six minutes since Italy’s sin-binning, England have lost six points and their open side.
Maro Itoje’s moment of madness
More troubles soon follow. With Underhill’s sanction just confirmed to be staying a yellow card, and the need for discipline thereafter underlined, Italy attempt to maul from a line out on the left. England do well both to stall it and keep forward bodies out of the tangled mass, with Jamie George and Ben Earl adding width to the defensive line.
However as Alessandro Fusco attempts to play away, Itoje cannot resist a slap at the ball. The lock had been back to his spoiling best in Rome but this was an uncharacteristically bad decision, particularly given the scenario in which it came.
Muddled bench usage
Regardless of game situation, Borthwick has generally gone to his forward replacements early in games, showing real conviction and clarity over their proactive usage. Not so here – perhaps thrown by the late shuffle necessitated by Tom Curry’s injury, only loosehead prop Bevan Rodd was introduced before the 65-minute mark. With Underhill and Itoje in the bin, Borthwick was short of options but it was perhaps a surprise not to see Henry Pollock sent on sooner than the 73rd minute. Ollie Chessum, meanwhile, made an immediate impact, springing up at the front of a line out to steal ball in the 67th minute; it came after Ben Earl had superbly stalled an Italian maul almost single-handedly.
At that point, Borthwick appeared ready to introduce Luke Cowan-Dickie for Jamie George yet did not even with the replacement hooker stripped and ready, seemingly wanting his starter to take the pressure throw to follow on his own five-metre line. It took another nine minutes for Cowan-Dickie to be introduced.
Italy strike superbly
Having survived one five-metre lineout with 13 men, England might have felt growing confidence that they could see the game out and get through to the end of the Itoje sin-binning. But Italy, who have had their own conversion troubles in this tournament, produced a brilliant strike from their own half, bursting England open from a position of relative calm. When Paolo Garbisi checks back on to his left foot to kick crossfield, the visiting backline is numbered up well, with three of their best athletes covering across towards recipient Ioane.
But Seb Atkinson, obviously fatiguing after going deep on Six Nations debut, appears slightly sluggish as he rushes across to help Tom Roebuck and Freeman out. With the touchline as an extra defender, Roebuck should have Ioane handled as he comes back to floor but over-chases, allowing him to be beaten on the inside and forcing Freeman to step in and tackle.
An offload gives Tommaso Menoncello a healthy run-up into Daly, who cannot halt him. With Atkinson having committed to a tackle attempt, an unguarded Leonardo Marin provides good inside support and canters under the posts for what proved the winning score.
Missed opportunities
Even after conceding that try, England had opportunities. Again, their lack of clinical edge became clear on a day where their points per 22 entry was just 1.6 – the third successive week in which it has been below two. In the 75th minute, in a passage that began with Cadan Murley winning back a Jack Van Poortvliet box kick, England play a few phases before Fin Smith produces an ill-conceived and ill-executed box kick over a marked Roebuck.
Their best chance, though, came in the last knockings. With the two Smiths orchestrating, Italy’s defence is dragged out of shape and Van Poortvliet has three passing options in Alex Coles, Trevor Davison and Ollie Chessum, putting his Leicester teammate through a gap after breaching contact and offloading.
The scrum half then tries to keep momentum up with a snipe around the corner, forcing Freeman in to play nine. The centre goes it alone, though, and Trevor Davison and Luke Cowan-Dickie can’t shift Michele Lamaro as he latches over the top for the game-sealing jackal penalty.
The penalty is punted to touch, provide England a last chance to snatch the ball back. With three long-limbed locks (Itoje, Coles and Chessum) on the pitch, and Italy likely to throw to the front, they do not even contest the final line out, with Itoje and Davison messing up their lift of Chessum.
It marked a fitting end to a day to raise deeper questions about England’s direction.
Match images courtesy of ITV/BBC/Six Nations
