Six Nations rugby: Italy-England 24-27

Italy throws away a sensational opportunity, squanders two advantages of 10 and 9 points in the first half and in the second gives in to the comeback of a poor England team, who ultimately win the first day’s match 27-24 at the Olympic stadium in Rome of the Six Nations. Bitter debut on the blue bench for the new coach Gonzalo Quesada, who witnesses what many predecessors witnessed before him: the illusion that turns into bitter reality and the dream of the historic victory that slowly, but inexorably, fades away. Faced with one of the worst versions of England, they lacked the mental strength to inflict the final blow, the inability to keep an opponent in enormous difficulty under pressure. As demonstrated by the goal scored at the end by Monty Ioane, which gives a bonus point that Italy is very close to. The Azzurri will return to the field on Sunday 11th to challenge Ireland in Dublin, while on Saturday 10th England will host Wales.

what goals!

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It is Italy who breaks the deadlock, taking advantage of an offside defense by the English on a good attack started by Paolo Garbisi: Tommy Allan goes from the pitch and scores the 3-0 in the 5th minute. And in the 11th minute, well deserved, the goal also arrives: the Azzurri occupy the English half of the pitch with a possession of the highest quality, break and magnificent offload by Nacho Brex for Lorenzo Cannone, who pierces the heart of the English defense and with another offload , luckier this time, offers Alessandro Garbisi the sprint to the posts. Allan converts to make it 10-0. The English react and organize the first serious attack of their match, which ends due to an Italian foul in the ruck that sends George Ford to the posts for the 3-10. In the 20th minute the English goal also arrives, as beautiful as the Italian one, but facilitated by the hole left in front of Tommy Freeman, who can then comfortably offload to the left out for Elliot Daly’s dive to the flag (Ford misses the very difficult transformation). However, Italy pulls another magic out of the hat, unleashes an attack from 10 defensive meters with another wonderful offload from Brex, then the beautiful hands of Tommaso Menoncello, who sinks to the right, absorbs the defender and releases Allan inside , which can fly back under the posts (from where it obviously transforms). The English poured into the Azzurri’s 22, but didn’t break through and the most they gained was a free kick in front of the posts with which Ford made it 11-17 in the 33rd minute. The English opening is repeated in the 38th minute and at half-time the score is 17-14 for Italy.

reassembled

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The second half opens with. the try that gives the English the lead for the first time, scored by Alex Mitchell, who does everything alone, enters within 5 meters, is tackled, but gets up and goes beyond the last blue men to dunk. Ford converts and England lead 21-17. In the 54th minute Ford hits the posts from almost 40 meters after a free kick won from the scrum for +7. A partial of 0-16 that Italy could interrupt, but in the 54th minute Allan misses a shot that is not impossible for him. So when in the 67th minute Ford hits the posts for +10, the impression is that the game is over. Italy has a jolt and in the 73rd minute creates a danger in the English 22, but Federico Mori (replaced Lorenzo Pani) does not clear the ball on the two wide teammates to his left and crashes into the English defender. In the 76th minute a trip on the throwing Menoncello cost Daly a yellow card. England finished in 14 and 5 minutes into added time and collected Ioane’s counterattack try, who received the ball just beyond midfield, got up after a tackle, broke another and flew into the goal. Paolo Garbisi converts and ends 24-27.