Ashton tortures Azzurri
12 Feb 2011
SIMON BORCHARDT reports on England’s 59-13 thrashing of Italy that resulted in four tries for winger Chris Ashton.
After coming so close to beating Ireland last week, the Italians were expected to challenge Martin Johnson’s side at Twickenham, as they did in Rome last year. However, after a competitive first quarter, the visitors were taken apart and the margin of victory could have been even greater had England not emptied their bench in the second half.
The hosts opened the scoring in the third minute when Ben Youngs put Toby Flood into space. The flyhalf drew Italy fullback Luke McLean and found Ashton, who sprinted 20m before swallow-diving under the posts.
Two penalties from Mirco Bergamasco and one from Flood saw England leading just 10-6 after 20 minutes, before the Italian left wing pushed his third attempt wide of the right-hand upright.
Fifteen minutes later, Italy were dead and buried. Ashton scored his second try after Shontayne Hape bounced off a defender close to the line, and an inside pass from Flood allowed Mark Cueto to break his 19-Test try-scoring drought. An excellent hand-off and one-handed offload from Nick Easter then put Mike Tindall away to make it 31-6 at the break.
Things went from bad to worse for Italy when Martin Castrogiovanni was yellow carded early in the second half when he prevented Youngs from taking a quick tap penalty. The visitors’ defence did well over the next few minutes, but just when it looked as if they wouldn’t concede any points while their tighthead prop was off, Ashton went over for his hat-trick. With Italy back to 15 men, replacement scrumhalf Danny Care then dived over to make it 45-6.
The visitors restored some pride when substitute hooker Fabio Ongaro scored from a driving maul, but tries from James Haskell and Ashton completed the rout.
England will go into their next match, against France at Twickenham in two weeks’ time, full of confidence, while Nick Mallett will be hoping to get Italy’s season back on track against Wales in Rome.
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134 Comments
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12 Feb 2011, 19:50 pm
Max Evans quite busy, shame his brother Tom had that horrible rugby accident last season, he is now an actor in America!!
Makes a change from becoming a commentator or a rugby coach!!
12 Feb 2011, 19:51 pm
@carol(carol)-49:
What do you think of Jonny’s new longer hairstyle?
I always thought that older men should wear their hair short?
12 Feb 2011, 19:52 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-50:
Percy may be staid…but he looks great in pink!!
12 Feb 2011, 19:52 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-45: the way you punt aswegen is so much like Skop’s obsession with PG
is he your son 
12 Feb 2011, 19:53 pm
I’d be surprised if Scotland wins this one. They just don’t look good enough right now.
12 Feb 2011, 19:54 pm
@carol(carol)-53: that is hardly the criteria for slection in SA
12 Feb 2011, 19:54 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-52:
As long as he refrains from wearing a hairband a la Beckham and Tevez I can cope!!
Do you wear your hair long, being a surfer?
12 Feb 2011, 19:55 pm
Half Time Scotland 3 – 16 to Wales
12 Feb 2011, 19:57 pm
@carol(carol)-53: Percy Percy percy… thats some infatuation Carol…
12 Feb 2011, 19:58 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-54:
JL1 asked me for an opinion- and that is what I gave him – cannot help that you do not agree with it
12 Feb 2011, 19:59 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-56:
Well you have to start your selection somewhere…..
As we know, Percy could look hot in a plastic bin bag!
12 Feb 2011, 20:02 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-59:
Poppa, if you knew how much I have spent going to games only to watch Percy running on with the Powerade bottles…..!!
Does he show any gratitude?
Anyway, I am coming to Cape Town next month and intend to take him out for coffee!! How could he refuse?
12 Feb 2011, 20:02 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-60: I have to say I have heard that he is pretty good
Lionel Cronje, was he not the SA under 21 player of the year?
12 Feb 2011, 20:03 pm
watts, get serious, m steyn is a great flyhalf, butch and ruan both able backups, peter grant is pretty unlucky not to get an international call up, they all going to waltz down under and pick up the trophy, with the old boys doing their bit both on and off the pitch. SA dont have any playmakers, jdv imo a little overrated in SA, its been a while since we;ve really had one. lambie, watts, cronje – still babes, no ways they ready for the rwc. MS is perfect for the RWC, most accurate placekicker in world rugby, tackles like a demon, massive big match temperament and can hit the gain line (afterall he used to play 12) – but yes he could work on his creative skills.
12 Feb 2011, 20:03 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-17: Hahahahaha. Never eat Haggis Poppa..haha. Not keen on it. But do have a kilt…LOL
Bought it many years back for all the weddings I go to in Scotland. All my mates sons, and daughters weddings that is. Everyone wears a kilt there for that. Enjoy it though. Good fun.
Love the Scottish anthem, the best anthem ever. Then the saffa anthem.
Okay Scotland not doing well there, but will support them through the whole of the 6 Nations.
Just one try here and it could change. Hoping.
12 Feb 2011, 20:04 pm
@carol(carol)-57:
Short, but I have a blonde wig that I sometimes wear, but never in the water.
12 Feb 2011, 20:05 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-60: not based on your comment from a couple minutes ago
12 Feb 2011, 20:06 pm
@carol(carol)-62: lol… so if he goes for coffee Im assuming hes going to need all that powerade??
12 Feb 2011, 20:06 pm
@carol(carol)-61:
i pity WRS
12 Feb 2011, 20:08 pm
@JL1(JL1)-63:
Yes, he was. Since coming down to Cape Town he had very few opportunities – Alister was quoted in a local paper of saying that Lionel has the X factor but makes too many mistakes – He actually looked quite good today during the 30 minutes that he played at flyhalf today.
12 Feb 2011, 20:09 pm
@cab(cab)-64: I think Steyn will be looking better when he gets FDP back
12 Feb 2011, 20:10 pm
@Puma(Puma)-65: so you own a kilt? any specific clan represented by the one you own? and it must be good to get the pipes out once in a while Id imagine..
12 Feb 2011, 20:11 pm
@Puma(Puma)-65:
Hi Puma, haggis is delicious served with mashed swede and mashed potato.
Makes me quite peckish thinking about it!
12 Feb 2011, 20:11 pm
@cab(cab)-64: i wouldn’t use MSteyn & great i the sae sentence…he is adequate.
12 Feb 2011, 20:11 pm
scots cowards getting caned by the dragons at home.
12 Feb 2011, 20:13 pm
where is my buddy jockshyte?
12 Feb 2011, 20:13 pm
@cab(cab)-64:
“they all going to waltz down under and pick up the trophy, with the old boys doing their bit both on and off the pitch”
gees Cab, werent kiwis accused of making bold statements like this in 07? gee,. setting yourself up for a fall mate, but continue..
12 Feb 2011, 20:13 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-66:
Blonde wig….
Any other things you feel you should tell me?
12 Feb 2011, 20:13 pm
@JL1(JL1)-71:
yes maybe, but i think Bokke effectively got three crashball centers in midfield, so perhaps thats why backline looking average?
12 Feb 2011, 20:14 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-69:
Why? His team is beating Scotland at the moment so he should be happy
12 Feb 2011, 20:14 pm
@cab(cab)-64: Howzit Cabbie, I reckon we judge the young ones after the S15. They will have plenty under their belt by then. Watch out for Lambie and Jantjies.
Morne, we play him at fh we have no chance it the wc. He is brilliant at kicking at poles, but not much else. Need more than that Cabbie. He too will just kick away all our ball. Not what we need with the new rules. Then again will judge him after the S15, just to see if he has moved on from just, kick, kick and more kick. He cost us in the 3Nations and the eoyt. If you kick please, kick it out or find space. He never even done that, just kicked into opposition hands. Then we never seen much ball after. BUT without a doubt he will be our fh for wc, if Victor has any say. So don’t worry about that. But I really don’t think he is our man for fh Cabbie. This wc we need a attacking fh.
Agree JdV is overrated. Also a bit of a selfish player, never passes. I would play Frans Steyn there or De Jongh. I know Steyn also don’t always pass, but think he is better than JdV. Also can kick those monsters over.
Okay back to the tv.
Go Scotland. Just hope they can.
12 Feb 2011, 20:15 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-68:
Hummmm…your imagination!
I was only planning a skinny latte…..!!
12 Feb 2011, 20:15 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-77:
but Popps i made the same prediction 4 years ago this time, i am even more convinced this time round, suzie just gotta slip something into SBWs powerade, and if barnesey refs cheater mccaw, the tears will flow. get your hankies darned matey.
12 Feb 2011, 20:17 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-69:
12 Feb 2011, 20:18 pm
@carol(carol)-73: hahaha. NO Carol, no matter what is is served with, don’t enjoy it…hehe.
@poppa69(poppa69)-72: hahahahaha. Never played the pipes in my life, but love the damn things…….hahahahaha. Yeah, own a kilt, but only ever wear it over there…lol.
Gonna now go and watch the rest of this game. Back later.
12 Feb 2011, 20:18 pm
@carol(carol)-82: just a little bit of frothing then?
12 Feb 2011, 20:18 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-74:
how about very good?
@Puma(Puma)-81:
yep still early days, but no ways lambie or jantjies anywhere near RWC2011 – lets see how they go in the S14 for a couple of years.
12 Feb 2011, 20:18 pm
@carol(carol)-78:
Well, I do not own a speedo or wear birkenstock sandals.
12 Feb 2011, 20:22 pm
15 phases and the cowards kick the ball away!what a sad bunch of tossers!
12 Feb 2011, 20:23 pm
@cab(cab)-87: Cabbie, those two youngsters could prove you wrong. This S15 is such a long tourney, they both will have so much game time at a very high level behind them.
Watch em Cabbie. Those two our our future. Remember Butch never kick for poles in the last wc either, but he was pure magic every where else. We have that in Lambie and Jantjies. Morne only can kick. Are we gonna play the kick and chase in NZ? Jeepers hope not. We will be out before we finish the pool games. We have Wales, Fiji and Somoa in our pool. Will have to keep possession against those teams and not kick everything away.
Okay now back later. Missing this game sitting at the pc. Catch up later Cabbie.
12 Feb 2011, 20:23 pm
@cab(cab)-83: I also recall you making predictions about 2010 3Ns that went belly up… you think your team is going to waltz into a country where they have only had 2 wins in 12 years and walk away with the trophy?
whats the point of everyone else turning up?
perhaps if you had a decent coach youd have a valid point, but with PDV there I dont think you guys will take the prize. he has shown his complete ineptitude to create strategy, and the way he handles his substitutes wouldnt fill me with confidence..
but like I said, continue… I’ll certainly remind you of these posts if you guys DONT win the trophy..
12 Feb 2011, 20:23 pm
@Puma(Puma)-90: double our
Meant – are
12 Feb 2011, 20:24 pm
@Puma(Puma)-85:
Never let them tip whisky on the haggis..it renders it nearly inedible!! You would really struggle with that!!
12 Feb 2011, 20:26 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-86:
Yes frothy and a small nibble on the side!!
(Love those little Italian biscuits) !
12 Feb 2011, 20:26 pm
@Puma(Puma)-90:
yep good luck to them, but they looked very nervous on tour. lets see how they go in the S15.
@poppa69(poppa69)-91:
yes, but we now have the Chosen One at the helm who knows how to win downunder, u should be v worried. you dont go to war with a cannon in your canoe. brilliant strategist and mindgame specialist.
12 Feb 2011, 20:27 pm
the trinations has not started yet, I’ve just watched the some of the 6 nations games, god the northern hemisphere are worthless, rugby was just not born there, they are trivial really rubbish.
12 Feb 2011, 20:31 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-91: with that fat-arse john smit as captain the boks won’t win anything,so you can sleep soundly at night!
12 Feb 2011, 20:32 pm
@carol(carol)-94:
biscotti is it?
@cab(cab)-95: the chosen one? bwahahaha true, shame it wasnt solely for rugby reasons though huh? imagine if you guys had a coach that actually was chosen for his rugby nous..
but hey, funny how we kiwis were accused of arrogance and such for some fans talking like you are before 07, yet not a whisper now that youre doing exactly the same? and therein lies the conundrum, good to see the double standards still exist on this site, Ive missed em..
12 Feb 2011, 20:33 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-88:
No speedos, no Birkenstocks…..you are not a mahogany brown, wrinkled European bloke (of a certain age) with a pot belly that likes to stride up and down the shoreline.
You can see then on all Eur0pean beaches from May to September.
12 Feb 2011, 20:35 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-91: 2 more wins than any other country I guess
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