England finally find way to beat scheming Italy
The revenge of the damned. So slated, patronised and written off had Italy been that they had little choice but to come up with a scheming, cloying, negating ploy that almost did for England and their Grand Slam aspirations.
That it almost did for rugby as a spectacle, as a contest of fluency and movement and athleticism, is another matter, one for another day. This was Park the Bus rugby, an act of defiance, a rage against the dying of the light. It was wholly within the laws, the letter at least, if not the spirit. And it almost worked.
Eddie Jones’s side were bamboozled for the entire first half, failing to get to grips with the offside-line difference between a tackle and a ruck, and went into the interval behind for only the second time ever against this opposition before finally gathering themselves to score five tries (six in all) and with it an all-important bonus point, although such a term seemed inappropriate for such a deeply flawed and halting performance.
England continue to win (this was their 17th in succession) but they do not wear the mantle of world-beaters. They are currently lords of the Six Nations manor statistically if not by status. They will take that for they have two shots yet to come, against Scotland and Ireland, when it really does matter how they perform. When you are top of the table, the view is pretty reassuring.
Italy have no need to apologise for such an approach, much as it met with the incredulity and disdain of Jones. It was not cricket, to use his favourite reference point. But there are many ways to play a game.
It was the sort of stunt that you might imagine Jones would have come up with when coaching Japan. Extraordinary situations – and Italy were being depicted as the basket case of Europe – demand an extraordinary response.
Jones was not fighting for his very sporting life, for an overdue measure of respect. Italy were. This was the fightback, this was a brains trust with studs on, this was Italy refusing to fade away, to go over the top once again and get slaughtered.
Jones had stated that he wanted his side “to take Italy to the cleaners”. Enough said. By the middle of the second half, Owen Farrell was kicking for goal, not for the corners. That is respect. Australia have done it this way before, so too Waikato Chiefs in Super Rugby.
Italy were on their uppers, rudely and roundly scorned. They came up with something that was clever and well drilled. It took skill to maintain their discipline at doing what they did. Many saw their arrival into Twickenham as akin to the Christians entering the Colosseum. Only this time it was the Three Lions who got bitten.
Of course, if you had to watch rugby like this every week, it would be sporting Mogadon. As it was, with the capacity Twickenham crowd licking its lips, it was just the ticket. It made Italy competitive where it mattered, at the breakdown, and sent their opponents into psychological tailspin.
Much of the play was in keeping with a grey, sleety, nagging, afternoon. It was fractured and intermittent. England simply did not have the wherewithal to cope as Italy did not commit and stationed themselves between the point of breakdown and an England player.
Italy scum-half Edoardo Gori spent more time in the company of white shirts than his own Azzurri. Time and again England threw their arms in the air, more Italianate than the opposition itself. Such was the exchange of conversation with referee Romain Poite, England might as well have set up a WhatsApp group with him.
“I am a referee, not a rugby coach,” said Poite at one point. Back and forth went the chat. Up and down went the furrowed brows of the English.
Poite did well to keep a handle on it all. The Frenchman had been appraised of Italy’s intended methods on Saturday. Italy went by the book.
Jones has often preached the need to be smart in all that is done on a rugby field. It took England too long to come up with any solutions, to pick and go, to maul more, to keep churning, to be opportunistic, to put Italy on the back foot, to make them think.
England eventually did crack the code, if only briefly, scoring two tries within six minutes of the restart through a Danny Care quick tap and an Elliot Daly dart. And with their finishers all brought on to do the job that the starters could not do, they ended at a relative rattle with three tries in the closing 10 minutes through Jack Nowell (twice) and Ben Te’o.
Jones refused to get drawn into any of the usual post-match appraisal of players on the basis that this was not a game of rugby. Even so, two of his top men, George Ford and Farrell, had ragged days. The Bath fly-half was smashed aside by Italy (and Exeter) centre Michele Campagnaro, en route to his splendidly taken try on the hour, a score that took his side to 17-15 down, Giovanbattista Venditti having been alert enough to follow a penalty that struck the post on the stroke of half-time and gather to touch down.
Dan Cole got England’s first try in the 22nd minute from a forward rumble.
England had their dander up when the late tries were scored, Nowell’s first in the 70th minute earning the bonus point and prop Kyle Sinckler barrelling forward to help tee up Te’o before Nowell rounded off matters a minute from time.
England press onwards with the skirl of the bagpipes growing ever louder.