England v Italy (pre/during/post thread)

juvenal

England v Italy
Saturday 7 February 2009 3.00pm
Twickenham, London
Live on RTÉ2, RTÉ.ie, RTÉ Radio 1; BBC1, BBC Radio 5 Live

England|No.|Italy
Delon Armitage|15|Andrea Masi
Paul Sackey|14|Kaine Robertson
Jamie Noon|13|Gonzalo Canale
Riki Flutey|12|Gonzalo Garcia
Mark Cueto|11|Mirco Bergamasco
Andy Goode|10|Andrea Marcato
Harry Ellis|9|Mauro Bergamasco
Andrew Sheridan|1|Fabio Ongaro
Lee Mears|2|Salvatore Perugini
Phil Vickery|3|Martin Castrogiovanni
Steve Borthwick|4|Santiago Dellape
Nick Kennedy|5|Marco Bortolami
James Haskell|6|Josh Sole
Steffon Armitage|7|Alessandro Zanni
Nick Easter|8|Sergio Parisse

England replacements: Hartley, White, Croft, Worsley, Foden, Geraghty, Tait.

Italy replacements: Festuccia, Nieto, Reato, J-F Montauriol, Toniolatti, McLean, Pratichetti.

Referee: Mark Lawrence (South Africa)

Assistant referees: Joel Jutge (France), Peter Allan (Scotland)

I think it's difficult to see beyond an England win. No doubt the selection of Bergamasco at scrumhalf points to a forward effort from Italy, and they'll try and frustrate England and drag them into a dogfight. Hopefully Italy can make a game of it, and keep the score within twenty points.

From England's pov they'll be looking a big performance from their halfbacks who are no strangers to each other from their time in Leicester. The back line is stong, and should have enough to put a few tries on Italy, although the pack is where the real battle is. Looking forward to it, and it will be interesting to see how Italy fare in their first day out.

Expect a bruising encounter.

Dont see the Italian team in the above post so here it is.


Italy: 15 Andrea Masi, 14 Kane Robertson, 13 Gonzalo Canale, 12 Gonzalo Garcia, 11 Mirco Bergamasco, 10 Andrea Marcato, 9 Mauro Beragamasco, 8 Sergio Parisse (captain), 7 Alessandro Zanni, 6 Josh Sole, 5 Marco Bortolami, 4 Santiago Dellapé, 3 Martin Castrogiovani, 2 Fabio Ongaro, 1 Salvatore Perugini.



Edit: Curse you and your quick editing

toomevara

Forza Italia.....!!! Lovely pack, think they'll give England a fright...

sock puppet

I don't see how England could have picked a worse backline given the players they have.

And Tindall's an injury doubt so Noon could be called in. link

juvenal

Deleted User wrote: »

Dont see the Italian team in the above post so here it is.

Italy: 15 Andrea Masi, 14 Kane Robertson, 13 Gonzalo Canale, 12 Gonzalo Garcia, 11 Mirco Bergamasco, 10 Andrea Marcato, 9 Mauro Beragamasco, 8 Sergio Parisse (captain), 7 Alessandro Zanni, 6 Josh Sole, 5 Marco Bortolami, 4 Santiago Dellapé, 3 Martin Castrogiovani, 2 Fabio Ongaro, 1 Salvatore Perugini.

Edit: Curse you and your quick editing

Yeah, we had some editing problems!

Really hope the Italy pack can front up and put England on the back foot. Parisse MOTM!

Chucky the tree

Defnitly one to avoid for the fair weather rugby fan. It'll be a very interesting spectecale though, looking forward to this new 9 man rugby. I wonder if it will catch one.

corny

The English, in fairness, are hardly light weight in the pack so i think it'll be a good contest up front. Key to this is how well the Italians defend IMO. They can't afford to give up cheap tries like they do on occassion. If they keep themselves in it i think they've every chance at turning them over.

juvenal

Tindall is out, Jamie Noon in.

zAbbo

The first thing that struct me was how poor that team is, not that there are better players waiting in the wings.

Goode at 10, Riki Flutey at 12 - one of the weakest 10/12's in International rugby.

That Italian team isn't bad, interesting backline changes - and I've a sneaky feeling they could get something out of England.

toomevara

zAbbo wrote: »

The first thing that struct me was how poor that team is, not that there are better players waiting in the wings.

Spot on...going for stability and grunt. As Warren Gatland reportedly said..not worried about the first XV, but I'm glad we're not playing the Saxons. Mischievious probably...but a definite element of truth in there...

Podge_irl

Got 8/1 on Italy winning at the half followed by an England victory. More or less what I think will happen too. Italy will push England close for 60 mins I'd say, but they're going to leak tries eventually. I'd be tempted to put money on Italy if the game was in Rome - that English team is quite weak.

Stev_o

This will be great Brian Moore will be at this best in ranting at them for kicking the ball away today!

toomevara

Podge_irl wrote: »

Got 8/1 on Italy winning at the half followed by an England victory. More or less what I think will happen too. Italy will push England close for 60 mins I'd say, but they're going to leak tries eventually. I'd be tempted to put money on Italy if the game was in Rome - that English team is quite weak.

Agree Podge, but ever the optimist, i've stuck a pony on the Italians to win...just reckon that England outfit might implode if they cant break the Italians down in the first half...wishful thinking I know, but I've got a feeling about this one, but then I'm also predicting a Scottish win in Murrayfield tomorrow....must be all that crack I've been smoking...

The Ritz

For anyone with FreesatHD or a SKY HD box or using a DVB-S card with a PC, this match is being shown in full High Definition goodness on BBCHD.


Ritz.

[Jackass]

Love the post juvenal, the crests and everything!! You're really classing this place up!! Good job!!

I'd love to say Italy could nick this one, but I just can't see England losing it. Not a great English team at all and I think it will be a tight enough game for about 60 minutes, but my gut says England reasonably comfortable in the end. Should be a good, tough fought game though.

Sangre

wheres good to watch this near croke park?

toomevara

[Jackass] wrote: »

Love the post juvenal, the crests and everything!!

+1, very aesthetically pleasing

Podge_irl

The BBC are being absurdly overly optimistic about England's chances in this game. They're probably going to win, but they're treating it like a fait accompli - asking about the margin instead of who will win.

Podge_irl

I intensely dislike when they have someone leading the crowd for the anthems.

Chucky the tree

Looking forward to this, if the rugby is awful atleast I'll get a chance to laugh and how poor Andy Goode is.

Chucky the tree

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Looking forward to this, if the rugby is awful atleast I'll get a chance to laugh and how poor Andy Goode is.

You pillock.

Euro_Kraut

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Looking forward to this, if the rugby is awful atleast I'll get a chance to laugh and how poor Andy Goode is.

You must have loved that try!

Oh Italy, why throw to the back on a defensive throw in??

Orizio

The balls behind you Mauro...

England 7, Italy 0.

toomevara

Appalling Italian start, shooting themselves in the foot..England wont get an easier try all season...

Euro_Kraut

This is looking ominous for Italy already... lots of mistakes, nerves and Bergamasco looking unsuited to scrum half

Euro_Kraut

Who had 7 minutes for the first bout of 'Sweet Chariot'?

Podge_irl

Bergamasco's pass is actually decent enough, it just takes him an absolute age to get the ball away.

Orizio

Masi missed penalty, Italy looking a bit better.

Trampas

Italy are bad

Chucky the tree

Normal Andy Goode service has been resumed.

Euro_Kraut

Hmm Andy not so Goode. Two missed pens.

Noopti

Trampas wrote: »

Italy are bad

Correction, Bergamasco is an awful SH. He is losing this game for Italy right now. They have decent possession but he is making so many mistakes and is slow slow that it is meaningless to them.

EDIT: If France, Ireland, Wales or even Scotland were playing Italy right now they would be all over them. Italy are making a poor England team look decent.

Orizio

Bollocks, England 12 Italy 0.

*Turns off*

Trampas

2 gifted tries.

Podge_irl

Bollocks.

Euro_Kraut

Oh lord this is painful, you cannot play a flanker as a scrm half! Its a very specialized position. There has to be one decent SH in the whole of Italy.

razorblunt

Italy are a shambles.

Looked like Cueto made no effort to get back to his feet for that try.

Stev_o

Once again its just Parisse vs XV. I love Bergamasco but for god sake he aint a SH.

jayteecork

Jaysus that was a great tackle there by Masi.

Noopti

Euro_Kraut wrote: »

Oh lord this is painful, you cannot play a flanker as a scrm half! Its a very specialized position. There has to be one decent SH in the whole of Italy.

They have an inexperienced SH on the bench, but he would be much better. I expect he will be brought on at half time at the latest.

I honestly don't know what Mallet was thinking. I just wish Italy would start to scare England a bit if even just to hear Brian Moore have one of his hissy fits!

zAbbo

I'd imagine even Troncon would do a better job at organising the forwards.

2 gifted tries, Italy just need to calm down a little and put some structure into the set plays.

Andy Goode's goalkicking is woeful

Euro_Kraut

Noopti wrote: »

They have an inexperienced SH on the bench, but he would be much better. I expect he will be brought on at half time at the latest.

I honestly don't know what Mallet was thinking. I just wish Italy would start to scare England a bit if even just to hear Brian Moore have one of his hissy fits!

Unfortunately for us they will probably have that sorted out by the time we play they in Rome next week.

England are poor to be honest, Haskell and Ellis aside.

Orizio

Both teams are dreadful really. England have been literally handed two tries, they have shown very little elsewhere.

Orizio

Someone please put big brother Bergamasco out of his misery.

Euro_Kraut

Feck!! Another gift to England from Mallets mad SH selection. 19-0

Stev_o

Jaysus there's a third and you know what its not England are playing decent when the passes have been decent the Italians have looked competitive. Man i feel bad for Bergamasco that's the last thing you'd want to be remembered for.

Noopti

Euro_Kraut wrote: »

Unfortunately for us they will probably have that sorted out by the time we play they in Rome next week.

England are poor to be honest, Haskell and Ellis aside.

They are very poor. Whatever score they get (another try just scored) is no indication of an improvement on their side. Bergamasco is causing nearly every English score!

I feel sorry for him, he shouldn't even be put in that position.

Trampas

make that 3 grifs.

Bergamasco must have a fortune on England

BOHSBOHS

make that 3 gifted tries ...this cud be a record score lol

Euro_Kraut

Orizio wrote: »

Someone please put big brother Bergamasco out of his misery.

Its a real shame isn't it? He is such a great number 7. One of the best in the History of the Six Nations.

Stev_o

Euro_Kraut wrote: »

Its a real shame isn't it? He is such a great number 7. One of the best in the History of the Six Nations.

Yeah i know its just a really awful decision and one that' ll haunt him i mean such a great and patriotic player should never be embarrassed like this.