England 47-24 Italy: Hosts shine in Six Nations sun but Cardiff cauldron awaits
Maybe not very little weather, but the playoffs are certainly a playoff feeling when the team bus drove into the Twickenham parking lot.
Supporters have exposed their layers in the sunshine in southwest London and put on shadows, and the seasonal changes in Air England need to show spring.
Rankings require it. With a free-scoring France now taking steps on the table, a reward point will strengthen England’s championship heist opportunity.
More importantly, though, the public needs it.
After the opposition’s strength, the situation and the seriousness of the game’s conditions and conditions were accused of England’s inability to deliver rugby, a day that invited ambitions and inventions.
England’s pre-match record against Italy was as raw as Twickenham’s turf and had 31 unanswered victories.
When Ben Earl ran around the final game to add to his seventh attempt, he raised his winning margin to 23 points and achieved 32 successes, it felt like the host had achieved the occasion.
“We tried to play more games,” Luke Cowan-Dickie said after the 47-24 victory. “We made seven attempts, so something happened.
“We’re trying to attack from anywhere. We know it’s going to be a risk, but we want to show the fans that we don’t want to play a lot and play with the ball.”
The host twice crossed the wing Olie Sleightholme added: “When our players decide to beat people, score more goals and are more aggressive against the ball.”
It’s obvious. England kicked 31 times but shot 145 times. The last time they played against Scotland, they played five times, with a 67-fold decrease in the number.
A significant shift that even allowed the opposition to change.
This is not a natural strategy for the England coaching staff, whose Premier League victory with Leicester in 2022 was hit by grated rugby and kicks.
And even though Northampton’s near-front and won the 2024 domestic crown with more style, England’s offense took some time to get rid of the rust of the ring.
Tommy Freeman’s Duff pass drew its first groan from the stands in 30 seconds. Soon after, the Count was swept.
For most of the first half, Italy broke and was filled with more dangers, throwing out smarter shapes and more accurate passes.
