England prevails in Italy to launch its Tournament

Trailing at the break, the English reassured themselves by overthrowing a valiant Nazionale for coach Gonzalo Quesada’s first on Saturday.

An England of reaction. Led in the first act by Italy (14-17 at the break), the XV de la Rose got out of trouble and ended up winning (27-24), Saturday February 3 in Rome for its first match of the 2024 Six Nations Tournament. Still in training, the English suffered and only scored two tries, thus failing to pocket the offensive bonus. But the essential is acquired, against Italians reinvigorated after a catastrophic World Cup, for the first of the new coach Gonzalo Quesada. The Nazionale still won the defensive bonus point thanks to a try at the very end of the match.

Starting a Tournament under the spring sun of the Eternal City is not always a guarantee of peace and quiet. The Blues, pushed to the end just a year ago (29-24) in the same arena, know something about this. So England is content with this departure piano, what do the beginnings matter. Especially since this XV of the Rose, still carried by its veterans Maro Itoje, George Ford or Elliot Daly, is no longer the same annoying scratch as at the World Cup.

With a few new faces, England had planned to play the game. It’s not yet hurray rugby, but the plan is no longer limited to kicks from scrum-half Alex Mitchell and it is already a matter of with an important step. Daly’s try at the end of the line, after a cross from Tommy Freeman (20th, 10-8), was an illustration of this. After this projection, Steve Borthwick’s players, shaken by the Italians in search of redemption, returned to their pragmatism to score a second upwind try by Mitchell (45th, 17-21) then take penalties.

Quesada has a promising base

It was indeed better to get rid of this courageous Italy but still incapable of holding on for the duration of a match. After a gap of half an hour in the second act, she at least had the merit of snatching the defensive bonus after the siren, by Monty Ioane (80th + 4, 24-27).

This may not be enough to avoid another wooden spoon, but it at least rewards the efforts made in a promising first act.

Quesada’s Italy put on a show, immediately taking the score through Alessandro Garbisi, supporting a breakthrough from Lorenzo Cannone (12th, 10-0), before a second try by Tommaso Allan (26th, 17- 8), at the conclusion of a perfectly oiled first-hand attack.

Barely arrived, the former manager of Stade Français managed to revive a team which had conceded 156 points in its last two matches. And he has a promising base, before going to Ireland on Sunday February 11 at 4 p.m.