by Growing pains: they can really hurt. And taking a new approach will inevitably lead to ugly moments. Italy’s second try at the Stadio Olimpico, a flowing counter-attack that left Elliot Daly stranded and Tommaso Allan finished, proved to be a big one for England.
Despite their installment of a new head coach in Gonzalo Quesada, who promised to add pragmatism to the flow worked by Kieran Crowley, his predecessor, the hosts were the more determined team. That didn’t change the fact that they were chasing their first ever win in this game.
Apart from the absence of various veteran players, the arrival of Felix Jones as defense coach, taking over from Kevin Sinfield, has been the most significant aspect of England’s move away from the World Cup. He was a back-to-back champion with the Springboks, and was always going to embed an attacking blitz system based on the flanks bursting in to close down space. Jamie George and Ben Earl are delighted with Jones’ insistence on energy and urging England to arm their defence.
South Africa has come close to implementing this approach in recent years, which makes it remarkable. The terrifying pair of Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe are mesmerizing to watch with the ball in hand, but they are also ferocious defenders who think of anything to bolt their way in the field. They don’t mind the line of defense becoming narrow, as their proactivity will often force uncertainty or outright error handling. Sometimes they also go towards heavy traffic.
Arendse and Kolbe trust that their teammates will be able to scramble in behind them and cover across if the attackers work the ball into space on the outside. England are still not at it yet, and Daly’s goal was in the 27th minute as Italy overcame their hosts to go 17-8 up.
The sequence actually started in a promising way for England on the other wing. Alex Mitchell’s box kick was deflected by Tommy Freeman and beaten by Monty Ioane. This should allow England to settle and swim together. Instead, they honey-potted all over the breakdown. Two steps later, Italy cut them apart.
Spying a dangerously agitated defensive line – Daly was the only English player in the other half of the pitch, if one drew a line vertically down the middle – Paolo Garbisi fed Juan Ignacio Brex. Brex set up Henry Slade and lifted a nice return pass to a looping Garbisi. Even from outside Italy’s 10-metre line, England were in dire danger.
At this point, Daly tried his best to force the issue and stormed in. But it was a little too late, and Garbisi could pass the ball to Allan. The former Harlequins full-back walked just long enough to attract Freddie Steward before Tommaso Menoncello was released. Joe Marler and Ethan Roots were the only England defenders behind Daly. Neither of them could catch up. Allan headed in under the posts after Menoncello picked out George Ford.
What could England have done differently? Perhaps, this time, Daly might have recognized how compromised his team had become and retreated instead of drifting in the opposite direction. There is no doctrine of sacred protection in every moment.
England could panic here, because Italy had their tails up. As it was, an increasingly determined defense would concede just seven more points, those coming when Ioane evaded Fraser Dingwall’s clutch for an 85th-minute consolation try. Dingwall will be frustrated, as the mistake marred an otherwise tidy start. However, he and Jones emerged with a win as well as areas for improvement.
In fact, Italy was the perfect opponent to stress test the new system. With Ange Capuozzo floating around, they would be even more threatening. However, England provided plenty to encourage Jones. In the 50th minute, from a scrum just inside the Italian half, Paolo Garbisi wrapped around Brex again. This time, Slade came in and Daly followed him to cut down Ioane. Any offensive impetus was immediately lost, and Earl’s pressure led to a Manuel Zuliani fumble. Cameras pan to the England training box. Steve Borthwick leaned over and said something to Jones – Felix, not Eddie, although the latter was also on the ground – and the pair nodded.
Freeman was impressive in every aspect of his performance and seems to like Jones’ method. Other defensive interventions showed admirable industry. Maro Itoje had threatening moments. With 10 minutes remaining, and England leading 27-17, Brex and Garbisi teamed up again. Chandler Cunningham-South crossed the field and beat Federico Mori. The resourceful, rugged Roots forced them into a breakaway penalty a few rucks later.
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso came off the bench and quickly earned a start for England. Italy spread wide inside their own 22, which Garbisi needed to rush under pressure from Slade. The ball first went beyond Feyi-Waboso to Ioane, who missed the first tackle attempt. However, Feyi-Waboso succeeded. He and Dingwall shepherded Ioane across the touchline. Earl was on hand to celebrate.
Steward deserves credit for hoping for a cute chip from Garbisi on the first play after Daly’s yellow card. If that bounced to a blue shirt, Borthwick’s side were in for a tough finish.
Italy would have the final word, but England should be heartened. They won in the opening round of the Six Nations for the first time since 2019. And growing pains often lead to much more determined displays down the line.
As Jamie George put it, persistence is the answer. “The thing I liked the most today was that we were cut a few times in the first half. But did that take anything away from our line speed? Certainly not,” said the skipper. “We had the courage to continue after them.”
