Six Nations rugby challengers England in ‘no-win’ clash with Italy
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England's Freddie Steward and Marcus Smith during a training session.
Action Images via Reuters
LONDON – England go into their Six Nations rugby match with Italy at Twickenham on March 9 knowing that a win may not be enough to appease critics of their faltering attack.
If third-placed England – whose points difference currently stands at minus three – are going to remain in realistic title contention ahead of their tournament finale against Wales in Cardiff a week later, they will have to improve on their recent one-point wins over France and Scotland.
Those narrow victories followed England’s run of seven straight defeats by top-tier opposition, including a loss away to reigning champions Ireland in their Six Nations opener.
And while Steve Borthwick’s men deserve credit for their resilience, the England coach’s claims that they had “found a way to win” after a 16-15 triumph over Scotland a fortnight ago rang slightly hollow given the Scots outscored his side three tries to one, only for Finn Russell to miss all three conversions.
Clearly relying on the opposition goal-kicker having a bad match is not a policy for sustained success, with 2003 World Cup winner Will Greenwood berating the current England side for playing “no rugby”.
But England vice-captain Ellis Genge insisted the team deserved more credit.
“It’s like you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t,” said the prop. “In the last 18 months, every time we’ve lost by a point, we’ve been slandered, and we win by a point and it’s the same old story.”
Expectations will continue to remain high this weekend.
Italy have lost all 31 of their previous Tests against England and they arrive at Twickenham on the back of a 73-24 thrashing by France – a match where Les Bleus scored 11 tries, a record for one team in a single Six Nations match.
But even if England do score several tries, expect cries of “It’s only against Italy”.
Borthwick has rejigged his attack by dropping full-back Marcus Smith and centre Henry Slade, with their places taken by Elliot Daly and Fraser Dingwall.
The coach hailed Dingwall as a “really intelligent rugby player” who could be the “glue” that bonds his side’s attack.
Meanwhile in the Italy camp, coach Gonzalo Quesada believes that scoring 24 points against the French was “no small feat” and he is looking forward to the clash with England.
“I think it was impossible to beat that French team, but we should not have conceded such a defeat with such a deficit,” said the former Argentina international. “It is up to us to show that what happened against France was a blip.” AFP
