Pathetic Poms hang on
10 Feb 2008
England produced another second-half shocker in the Six Nations, but still managed to beat Italy 23-19 in Rome.
The World Cup finalists scored two early tries and led 20-6 at half-time. However, instead of putting the Italians away, they faded badly, just as they did against Wales at Twickenham last weekend.
Italy coach Nick Mallett must have had a few harsh words to say at half-time, because his forwards finally started attacking the ruck area instead of standing back. As a result, the hosts had 63% possession in the second half and scored 13 points to England’s three.
Despite seeing little of the ball, England appeared to have the game wrapped up at 23-12 with seven minutes to go. But Danny Cipriani, on for Jonny Wilkinson at flyhalf, had his chip kick charged down by replacement scrumhalf Simon Picone, who scored under the posts to set up a thrilling finale.
Unfortunately for Italy – who are ranked 11th in the world – they lost possession inside England territory with a minute to go, and never threatened to score again.
While this was a match of poor quality, the first quarter was reasonably entertaining.
Wilkinson was slammed by the English press following the defeat to Wales, but the flyhalf made an instant impact in this match when he regathered his chip ahead and threw a brilliant back-flip pass to winger Paul Sackey, who scored the try.
Wilkinson nailed the conversion, only for two penalties from Italy fullback David Bortolussi to make it 7-6.
However, Bortolussi turned from hero to zero when he took an eternity to kick inside his own half and was charged down by Jamie Noon. The centre regathered and the ball sent wide to Toby Flood, who dived over extravagantly in the corner. Wilkinson’s conversion took him past 1,000 Test points in an England jersey.
Wilkinson then missed an easy penalty attempt, before slotting two just before half-time that made it 20-6.
Two Bortolussi penalties after the break cut England’s lead to eight, only for Wilkinson to kick one of his own. However, Italy soon took control of the game and were rewarded with Picone’s late try.
Italy – Try: Simon Picone. Conversion: Bortolussi. Penalties: David Bortolussi (4).
England – Tries: Paul Sackey, Toby Flood. Conversions: Jonny Wilkinson (2). Penalties: Wilkinson (3).
By Simon Borchardt
95 Comments
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10 Feb 2008, 23:18 pm
50
I really don’t think there’s much between the top 10 sides.
Look at Fiji v SA at the RWC and France v Ireland last year and this years 6N, Argentina v France, England v Australia, Scotland v Argentina, Italy v Scotland, New Zealand v France, Ireland v Australia.
All the teams can either beat each other or push each other close.
Clerc’s scored 5 tries in two games and looked very impressive. Not quite as good as Habana imo but its not the first time I’ve seen him do well.
10 Feb 2008, 23:18 pm
No Mr. Bill I just reflect what they all cry and moan about ad nausea, like a little bit of counter balance to all the hard done by poor me syndrome they all bleating about, your name sake Peter Bill’s decided to interview the poor overrated WC winning coach so what choice do we have but to answer the poor man and implore him to stop his incessant whining about his lost dummy or his spilled milk.
Ashton at least has the adventurous spirit about him in trying to play a running expansive game, its probably not working with a team that trades in close hand grind and forward muscling, so they are being exposed in weak areas and punished for picking wrong players and selecting wrong strategies at crucial times, they should have beaten Wales and cruised against Italy, but battled both times. Maybe a conservative coach is what England still needs, running open rugby just not their forte.
10 Feb 2008, 23:20 pm
The French back three are all dynamic and in an open game can create havoc with any team, including SA and Bryan Habana no question.
10 Feb 2008, 23:21 pm
Talking of shutting up, skop why don’t you shut up about Jake and show him how its done?
10 Feb 2008, 23:26 pm
Skop, you need to take a good hard look at yourself cause all the things you say about JW, you are not practicing yourself? Everyone here knows your feelings about JW and whilst that is respected, you sound like a stuck record with your incesent whinging about him. Give it a break? Come on practice what you preach?
10 Feb 2008, 23:27 pm
I’d do that with pleasure whatever, I’d have cake walked that no contest WC without the Aussie cast off coach propping my feeble battered psyche up, except I forgot to hand in my application for the job when your hero boy got in through the back door.
Too bad at least now we got a coach who understands a little about playing and winning, not getting lucky packet results, or trading on poor me excuses after getting clobbered 49-0 and the rest.
10 Feb 2008, 23:27 pm
#41 Pat, which lucky packet team do you support? And what was the reason they did not win the S14 in 2007?
10 Feb 2008, 23:29 pm
52
Ashton’s running rugby appears to work for the first half but the pack seems to give in the second half meaning it can’t be continued. Also the defence seems to be poor in the second half.
I think we have problems knowing when to play it loose and when to play it tight. Maybe it’ll come right for Ashton but I have a feeling its going to get worse before it gets better.
10 Feb 2008, 23:32 pm
Speaking a bit too soon I’d say skop. The season has not even started. I hope you don’t have to eat your words about Pdv, cause that means I would be crying as well……..
It’s sad when you don’t respect the WC win. In fact it sounds like you were actually disappointed we won, cause then you could really have come out and said “I told you so” However we won and now you are trying vainly to convince the masses that it was a lucky win and and, blah, blah, blah………whatever…
10 Feb 2008, 23:33 pm
Anyway as you say it is getting a little tiring now so please ask your poor underrated underhanded hard done by coach to please stop his incessant wining so I can also have a rest from keeping the g’dam record straight.
Its getting tiring so tell him to please get a real coaching job where his results will prove one way or another if he’s at all the greatest gift to rugby that ever wore a bok blazer, or else just shut up about the lousy underhanded administrators who all did him such a lousy disservice while he fluked this way and that and lost more than he won against real opposition.
10 Feb 2008, 23:36 pm
Skopskiet are you the same guy on RW?
10 Feb 2008, 23:38 pm
Skopskiet never got the job and is now showing his frustrations by playing the man and not the ball
Tell you what Skop, phone Jake, or send him an e-mail but this out of your system. I mean what did he do to you?
10 Feb 2008, 23:40 pm
Boring, boring, boring………….pathetic, pathetic. Nothing more to say, otherthan possibly childish?
10 Feb 2008, 23:44 pm
Pat_Mcgroin / Big Hit
Ireland could only beat SA 2 times in a hundred years
Wales only 1 time in a 100 years
Fiji could never beat SA and even the RWC game was only close to some spectators
Scotland 4 wins over a 100 years
England have lost the last 5 games against the Boks
ABs have also beaten the home nations in 2005 and pasted France by 40 points in 2 test matches and slipped once against them in the RWC
SO YES THERE IS NOT A LOT BETWEEN THE TOP 10 TEAMS IN THE WORLD, THAT IS NOT A LOT OF WINS BETWEEN THEM AGAINST THE TOP 3 SH NATIONS
10 Feb 2008, 23:46 pm
#47
17-12 to Ireland in 2004
32-15 to Ireland in 2006
#57 Ireland does not have a team in the Super league.
I watch some S14 rugby. Don’t have a particular favorite.
Munster thru and thru
10 Feb 2008, 23:51 pm
Yeah I’m the same one super why, you want to censor my foul mouth here too?
10 Feb 2008, 23:52 pm
Bulls would paste Munster under any two bit Irish park anyday of the week………
10 Feb 2008, 23:54 pm
Skop, it’s not the foul mouth that offends……..it’s the incesant rambling on on one subject like a luney………
10 Feb 2008, 23:54 pm
Jakes just a two bit fancy footwork artist and I see through him, nothing much else except I can’t stand his pathetic whining and especially when he calls others underrated when he himself don’t have a g’dam leg to stand on.
10 Feb 2008, 23:56 pm
Oh grow up skop………fook you are tiring. Jeez no time for people who have obviously lost their marbles………..
11 Feb 2008, 00:00 am
Look its true I am way left of center, maybe a little too radical for most of you rugga buggers liking, and I stand up against arrogance in whatever form I see it rear its ugly head, so when a coach preens and bullsh’ts his way through ridiculous 49-0 losses etc and ducks and dives around personal issues, I call his bluff an all those that got bluffed along with him.
But I must admit it is getting a bit tiring being the only one calling this damn bluff forever.
11 Feb 2008, 00:09 am
Skop
It is known as having an obsessive compulsive disorder. You are bordering on hate speech-what do you want, everybody to join your cult group and blog everywhere anti Jake White sentiments
You are coming across as an old cynic
11 Feb 2008, 00:19 am
#67
————————–
Never in a million years…
—————————
Irish by birth…
Munster by the grace of God…
11 Feb 2008, 00:22 am
Maybe I am an old cynic JL, but I’ll tell you what so far I’m quite impressed with this bruin ou coach we got, at least lets hope he does something useful with the players and gets the game moving in the right direction, and not be such a stick in the mud conservative no direction known half wit that can’t see a gap for love or money.
And lets hope he can develop players from all walks of society and not just the fancy faced upperty establishment and lets hope he gives NZ some stick in their back yard as well as Australia and Ireland and England and France, at least that’ll be a step in the right direction, also lets hope he never has to lose 49-0 and pretend it never really happened. What d’you say huh?
11 Feb 2008, 00:25 am
Beddy byes time.
11 Feb 2008, 00:28 am
Munster beat the All Blacks.
Two bit? I think not…
11 Feb 2008, 00:32 am
#74 Well skop there goes your argument, cause all this “bruin ou” (your words not mine) has done is talk, and quite a bit has been a load of shite. He has done nothing yet, zip, narda, f*k all, zilch in an open class international and we all wait with baited breath. I hope he does well, for SA Rugby’s sake. He sure is a good talker and I think is going to get a pasting by the International media, but hey we will have to see……..the guys in the whire coats come to turn your lights off?
11 Feb 2008, 00:33 am
#76 Did you take out all the International players? All Blacks, Ozzies, Saffa’s ?
11 Feb 2008, 00:56 am
#78
All Blacks vs Munster
31 October 1978 Thomond Park 12-0 to Munster
1973
16 January 1973 Musgrave Park drew 3 all
11 Feb 2008, 01:01 am
#78
11 Feb 2008, 01:15 am
#79 and 80. Commets also come around once or twice in a blue moon!
11 Feb 2008, 01:28 am
Bulls beat the British and Irish Lions in 1997.
11 Feb 2008, 01:30 am
Also,Irish can’t seem to win a game away from home.
When will the Paddies have the bollocks to show up at Ellis Park?
11 Feb 2008, 02:10 am
#64
Well said JL1.
SA and NZ there is not much between those sides,but here is a country mile between NZ and England and has so for about 100 years,not much has changed.
NZ percentage wins against
Canada 100%
England 75.86%
Ozzie 66.41%
Fiji 100%
Argentina 92.31%
France 73.91%
SA 55.56%
Hmmmm they dont look that close.The SA % has only changed to our favour in the last 15 years or so
11 Feb 2008, 02:34 am
Howzit Hurricane, more like in the last 5 years. You boys have had a good run, but then again Helen does not pick the sides……..hehe
11 Feb 2008, 03:33 am
#85
Thats Right,its a good thing Helen doesnt.Honestly it must suck to be in that situation
11 Feb 2008, 03:53 am
its since 1996 that the % has swayed in the favour of helen’s lads.
fark
cant wait to see the back of her…..do not take that out of context!
11 Feb 2008, 04:15 am
Its quite strange the range of emotions one goes through to see the result of the England – Italy game. First up I think ‘up you big hit, lets not hear another word about your mighty english team until they get some respectability back in their game. Then I remember how it has been for many teams who have been on the ‘wane’, the AB’s have had their moments, the Boks had a spell, Australia and so on. The love and committment that goes into your team and country is special so as one team flounders, even though we tend to stick the boot in, we all to well know the disappointment attached to it. This made me realise that all my vindicative remarks aimed at the poms( outside the general sporting trash talk) have been retalitory towards someone who constantly bags and undermines one of the best teams on the planet and one which I love.
As when the boks were going through a lull in proceedings I couldnt wait till they rose again to give it to the AB’s occassionally for the sake of the sport- its how much we love it that counts, so heres hoping the poms have it in them to climb the ladder as well.
11 Feb 2008, 05:43 am
Very noble comment capt………to be applauded!
Change the word “occassionally” to regularly and I’d give it 100%
11 Feb 2008, 07:09 am
Eish ou Skops, lekker bitterbek alweer. Get a bad batch of tik over the weekend? Could have won the RWC with my granny at flyhalf, neef at hooker, bla bla bla. Fact is you didn’t. And you’re the type who probably would have got the support of the PC, underlining twat status.
For PdeV, we’ll wait and see. Certainly his PR skills are equal to Jake’s, whatever that means.
About the whining and crying from JW – you do a pretty good whine yourself. Precious.
11 Feb 2008, 08:10 am
64
and Ireland, Argentina and Scotland have never beaten NZ
11 Feb 2008, 08:12 am
88 more Captain
11 Feb 2008, 08:15 am
I think that the top 5 S14 sides would paste any NH club side at the moment …. it won’t always be this way though. I few years back you would have picked the top 8 S12 sides to paste any NH club side
11 Feb 2008, 09:16 am
Good day everyone,
Look i don`t care what anybody thinks but to me the best team in the world is the 2007 All Blacks.They outplayed the WC bok team in Durban last year and that to me is the proof in the pudding.
I refuse to be nice just for the sake of being humble because i cannot lie to myselve.
The All Blacks will take the 2008 TN cup again no sweat provided they pick the best team.
Little has change over the years really.
11 Feb 2008, 09:43 am
morning all
sheesh, the poms looked shaky last night eh?
skoppie, i see you are back to your best.
namblack, take a lesson from REAL kiwis like capt fanny, chch and hurricane. gracious rugby lovers, not deluded wanna be wack jobs. durbs 2008 is in the past. it wasnt our best team. we won the world cup. get over it.
cant wait for the tri nations. should be interesting.
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