RBS Six Nations Championship -12/3/05 - Twickenham

England v Italy 

and

The Italian Job!

last year in Rome Photo copyright of Paolo

England and the Italian Job!  Well that is what the England players and management will need to do this Saturday at Twickenham, they will need to do a good job on the Italians and no looking over their shoulders for the men in black suits and glasses.  The only Mob that will be after their blood if they do not win on Saturday will be the Twickenham crowd and the England fans.

Surely it is unthinkable that England will not beat the Italians?  However, over the last few weeks as this wonderful tournament has progressed we have seen the demise of the Rugby World Cup Champions big style.   For the first time in years there is the whisper of the Wooden Spoon!

Ah! but I hear you all cry and as one of our posters pointed out, only four players are left in the team from that RWC winning side and some of them are not playing as well perhaps.   The amount of injuries England have suffered and continue to suffer is staggering since winning the RWC but the other teams also have injuries so we can not make any excuses on that score.   Remember, England had strength in depth!?   We may have talented players in depth but are we sure about  the strength of experience amongst them?

The England side who will take to the field on Saturday, led out by Martin Corry as Captain for the first time, will need to produce the goods.  

However, I am sure that Martin will lead by example as he has done in the last couple of games putting in a strong personal performance.  In fact Martin has suddenly blossomed into a very strong character presence around the park

Jason Robinson who has also done a wonderful job unfortunately is out due to injury and Iain Balshaw starts.  Let us all hope Iain has a wonderful game along with Charlie Hodgson who last weekend in Ireland produced an excellent performance with the boot.  Whilst Charlie is an exceptional play maker and very talented young man, he must keep on top of the goal kicking.  

And what of the Italians.........well they have improved there is no doubt about that.   They gave Ireland a run for their money in the opening game of the championship, they did not come close against the Welsh and also played their hearts out against Scotland.  So the guess is that they will be up for this game on Saturday at Twickenham.   Italy have talented players, many of whom play in the French league and are becoming very parkwise.    Against Ireland and Scotland the Italians scored most of their points in the second half of the game! ...........Now then, I bet Italy fancy their chances this weekend especially after England's performance against France when they were up 17 v 6 at half time and then scored NO points at all in the second half.   We shall see!

Whatever the outcome, it is only a game of rugby but it does get the old passions flowing like nothing else does it not?

Good luck boys from all of us at www.unofficialenglandrugby.co.uk

England: I Balshaw (Leeds); M Cueto (Sale Sharks), J Noon (Newcastle), O Barkley (Bath), J Lewsey (Wasps); C Hodgson (Sale Sharks), H Ellis (Leicester); G Rowntree (Leicester), S Thompson (Northampton), M Stevens (Bath); D Grewcock (Bath), B Kay (Leicester); J Worsley (Wasps), L Moody (Leicester), M Corry (Leicester, Captain).
Replacements: A Titterrell (Sale Sharks), D Bell (Bath), S Borthwick (Bath), A Hazell (Gloucester), M Dawson (Wasps), A Goode (Leicester), O Smith (Leicester).

Italy   G Peens (L'Aquila), R Pedrazzi (Viadana), M Barbini (Padova), A Masi (Viadana), L Nitoglia (Calvisano), L Orquera (Padova), A Troncon (Treviso), A Lo Cicero (L'Aquila), F Ongaro (Treviso), S Perugini (Calvisano), CA Del Fava (Rugby Parma), M Bortolami (Narbonne, capt), A Persico (Agen), D dal Maso (Treviso), S Parisse (Treviso).
Replacements:G Intoppa (Calvisano), M Castrogiovanni (Calvisano), M Savi (Viadana), S Dellape (Agen), S Orlando (Treviso), P Griffen (Calvisano), W Pozzebon (Treviso)

 and so with my usual cry...............

The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'

Henry V (1599) Act3, Scene1

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