ITALY
No.Name
15Matteo Minozzi, FB
14Tommaso Benvenuti, W
T
13Tommaso Boni, C
12Tommaso Castello, C
11Mattia Bellini, W
T
10Tommaso Allan, FH
9Marcello Violi, SH
1Andrea Lovotti, P
2Leonardo Ghiraldini, H
3Simone Ferrari, P
4Alessandro Zanni, L
5Dean Budd, L
6Sebastian Negri, FL
7Renato Giammarioli, FL
8Sergio Parisse, N8
Replacements
16Luca Bigi, R
17Nicola Quaglio, R
18Tiziano Pasquali, R
19George Fabio Biagi, R
20Maxime Mbanda, R
21Edoardo Gori, R
22Carlo Canna, R
23Jayden Hayward, R

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: Stadio Olimpico
3:00 PM, February 4, 2018
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

81'Despite the comfortable scoreline, it wasn't all plain sailing for the defending champions, but Eddie Jones is bound to be pleased with the result ahead of next weekend's showdown with Wales. There will also be plenty of positives for Italy coach Conor O'Shea to take away from the match, with his young players producing several excellent passages of play before ultimately falling short.
81'That's the game! Danny Care puts the ball in to touch to bring proceedings to a close with England ending as 46-15 winners in Rome.
81'15-46 End of second half
80'Substitute on - Tommaso Castello , Italy
80'Player substituted - Tommaso Boni , Italy
77'TRY! That's number seven for England as substitute Nowell stumbles over the line. Once again the visitors pin their hosts back and a sensational long pass from Care finds its way to Simmonds in oceans of space. The back-rower waits for an Italian challenge before playing in his Exeter teammate for a simple finish. Farrell misses the kick.
77'15-46 Try - Jack Nowell , England
76'TRY! It's a dream Six Nations debut for Sam Simmonds. The Exeter man receives the ball inside the 22 before bursting through the line and touching down for his second score of the game. Farrell converts the simple kick.
76'15-41 Conversion - Owen Farrell , England
75'15-39 Try - Sam Simmonds , England
73'Player substituted - Tommaso Allan , Italy
73'Substitute on - Carlo Canna , Italy
73'Substitute on - Alec Hepburn , England
73'Player substituted - Mako Vunipola , England
73'Player substituted - Tommaso Castello , Italy
73'Substitute on - Jayden Hayward , Italy
71'CLOSE! They've only just scored, but England are already knocking on the door again as Care takes the ball within the Italy 5m line. Jones' side try to work it to the right flank but Italy intercept and Boni carries it out to halfway.
69'TRY ENGLAND! It's starting to feel like game over after George Ford touches down. Italy clear after a fantastic lineout steal from Parisse, but sub Joseph brings it straight back. Some quick ball for England allows Farrell to break through the line and he waits till just the right moment before offloading to the fly-half. Farrell converts.
69'15-34 Conversion - Owen Farrell , England
68'15-32 Try - George Ford , England
67'Substitute on - Sam Underhill , England
67'Player substituted - Chris Robshaw , England
66'Another penalty for England comes after Italy are caught wheeling the scrum. The resulting lineout brings another whistle against the Italians, this time for entering the ruck at the side.
65'The home side get themselves in a good position but some great work from Robshaw wins England a penalty and Farrell goes for touch. Bellini tries to keep it in but knocks on for an England scrum.
63'Substitute on - Edoardo Gori , Italy
63'Player substituted - Marcello Violi , Italy
62'The ensuing kick takes Italy to the halfway line and they're back on the offensive again and win a scrum. Conor O'Shea is bound to be pleased with the way his young side have performed
61'Substitute on - Jack Nowell , England
61'Player substituted - Mike Brown , England
61'Substitute on - George Fabio Biagi , Italy
61'Player substituted - Dean Budd , Italy
60'Don't blink an eye or you'll miss something! Moments after England get us back underway, they find themselves with the ball in the Italy half. However, they are thwarted by the refs whistle as Italy get the penalty at the ruck.
59'Substitute on - Jonathan Joseph , England
59'Player substituted - Ben Te'o , England
59'Player substituted - Courtney Lawes , England
59'Substitute on - George Kruis , England
58'TRY ITALY!! There is still no shaking Italy as they waste no time in taking the ball back to the England goal-line through Mattia Bellini. The hosts find themselves camped on the right flank before working it over to Bellini on the opposite flank. He has 10m to go but does brilliantly, first to hold off Mike Brown and then to get the ball down before going into touch. Again the conversion is missed.
58'15-27 Try - Mattia Bellini , Italy
54'Player substituted - Leonardo Ghiraldini , Italy
54'Substitute on - Luca Bigi , Italy
54'Substitute on - Harry Williams , England
54'Player substituted - Dan Cole , England
54'Substitute on - Tiziano Pasquali , Italy
54'Player substituted - Simone Ferrari , Italy
54'Substitute on - Jamie George , England
54'Player substituted - Dylan Hartley , England
53'TRY for England! Sam Simmonds scores on his Six Nations debut. Moments after Italy have a score chalked off, England earn a penalty from the resulting scrum. A booming kick puts them deep in the Italy half and England make the most of the lineout which follows. The ball finds its way to the Exeter Chiefs No. 8 and he shows great acceleration to go over for the score. The conversion is good.
53'10-27 Conversion - Owen Farrell , England
52'10-25 Try - Sam Simmonds , England
50'Player substituted - Renato Giammarioli , Italy
50'Substitute on - Maxime Mbanda , Italy
49'CLOSE! Italy refuse to be put to bed. They think they have their second try of the game after Boni touches down after a beautiful one-two between Allan and Parisse opens things up for the centre. However, the ref chooses to review it and the layoff from Allan is forward, leading to an England scrum.
47'PENALTY! 10-20 -- Italy make a mess of the scrum on their own 5m and are penalised for use of a hand to pull the ball back. England choose to go for points and Farrell converts the simple attempt.
47'10-20 Penalty goal - Owen Farrell , England
45'CLOSE!! Watson comes agonisingly close to his hat-trick. England once again move to the Italy 5m line. Care pops it off to the Bath man at the breakdown. Watson desperately dives for the line, but the ball comes loose and goes forward. Scrum to Italy.
43'Some beautiful bits of play from both teams. Care goes to the air with a couple of box kicks, the first claimed by Jonny May, the second trickles on the ground before a skillful offload from hooker Ghiraldini allows Itlay to clear
41'That's the end of the first half. Some delightful work from the England backs will have left Eddie Jones pleased for the most part, but concerns will remain. Italy have put together some nice passages of play and continue to be a threat.
41'Substitute on - Nicola Quaglio , Italy
41'Player substituted - Andrea Lovotti , Italy
41'10-17 End of first half
40'10-17 Start of second half
39'PENALTY! Italy move deep into the England half. For the second time in the first half, the backs work it nicely to take them within the 5m line. They then keep it in the forwards, slowly advancing before Mako Vunipola is penalised for hands in the ruck. Faced with a stubborn England defensive unit and just moments left in the half, the hosts go for points. Tommaso Allan puts the ball straight through the posts to maintain his flawless start with the boot.
39'10-17 Penalty goal - Tommaso Allan , Italy
34'England's win another penalty from their own lineout before Farrell's boot takes it clear.
32'Another nice kick from Allan takes Italy from their own 22 to deep into England. Some nice play earns Italy another penalty and Allan goes for the corner. The Italy lineout comes to nothing as a England pack drive the resulting maul into touch.
29'The England threat continues. Once again they work the ball nicely and advance into Italy territory. It comes to nothing as some good Italy defence forces a penalty, with Itoje pinged for not releasing in a ruck.
27'TRY!!! Farrell runs in the visitors' third. England's handling continues to be superb as they work it nicely in the middle of the pitch. They get quick ball and Ford lays off to Farrell before the Saracens' man storms through a gap in the Italy defensive line. This time the kick is good
27'7-17 Conversion - Owen Farrell , England
26'7-15 Try - Owen Farrell , England
24'England are looking for a quick response and have a scrum deep in Italy territory after Itoje expertly rips the ball from Negri.
22'TRY! Italy's best spell of the match ends with Tommaso Benvenuti running it in. The scrum is a great one for the hosts, with Boni and Bellini working it nicely towards the left flank and the 5m line. Italy send it back the other way and a sensational pass from Allan puts Benvenuti clear. Allan converts to make things very interesting
22'7-10 Conversion - Tommaso Allan , Italy
20'5-10 Try - Tommaso Benvenuti , Italy
18'Parisse shows his expertise, holding up Mike Brown to win a scrum for Italy. A good chance for the pack to impose itself.
17'Italy are penalised for collapsing the maul which came from the resulting lineout and England clear.
16'Once again, the hosts try to inch it forward with their pack, and again the England defence holds strong, causing Tommaso Allan to go for territory with a nicely placed kick.
14'Again, Italy struggle to make meaningful advances into the England half and Bellini attempts to test Brown again. The fullback claims with little problem and Care kicks away.
11'TRY!!! Watson surges in for his second. The scrum is an excellent one for England and again the backs spread it beautifully towards the opposite flank. May plays a key role, beating a couple of Italian players before passing on to the flying Bath winger. The following conversion is wide left. 10-0
11'0-10 Try - Anthony Watson , England
10'Some polite applause around the Stadio Olimpico as Ben Youngs is stretchered off. We now have a scrum.
10'It definitely looked like a nasty one.

10'We're seeing the first real break in play right now, with Ben Youngs on the ground injured. Looks like he will be replaced by Danny Care.
10'Player substituted - Ben Youngs , England
10'Substitute on - Danny Care , England
9'Ford attempts to find May with a cheeky grubber kick but the Leicester man is unable to hold on to it.
9'Italy inch towards the England goal-line with their forwards before realising they aren't going anywhere and launching another high kick.
6'Really good pace to start this game with the ball quickly changing hands. A nice Italy kick puts England under pressure before Mike Brown gathers and Young clears. Italy growing into the game.
5'Farrell can't convert as his kick hits the post. 5-0 to England
4'TRY!!! Perfect start for England as Anthony Watson runs in untouched.The first lineout is a good one for the visitors and the ball is worked across the pitch beautifully before it comes to the Bath man. Great start for England!
3'0-5 Try - Anthony Watson , England
2'Some great work from Dan Cole gets England a penalty from the scrum. Ford goes for touch.
2'Early scrum for Italy as Mike Brown is unable to grasp onto a high ball.
1'And we're off. George Ford's bobbling kick is fielded by debutant Dean Budd.
1'With the teams out on the pitch and the anthems being played, we are only moments away from kickoff.
1'With the England back row missing some of it's high profile names, such as Billy Vunipola and Nathan Hughes, it will interesting to see how Exeter's Sam Simmonds gets on at No.8 against the vastly more experienced Sergio Parisse.
1'Rugby Editor Martyn Thomas is in Italy for match and has been observing England's preparations as kickoff draws ever closer.

1'Here is a reminder of how both sides line up in Rome:

Italy: Minozzi, Benvenuti, Boni, Castello, Bellini, Allan, Violi; Lovotti, Ghiradldini, Ferrari, Zanni, Budd, Negri, Giammarioli, Parisse (captain). Replacements: Bigi, Quaglio, Pasquali, Biagi, Mbanda, Gori, Canna, Hayward.

England: Brown, Watson, Te'o, Farrell, May, Ford, Youngs; M. Vunipola, Hartley (captain), Cole, Launchbury, Itoje, Lawes, Robshaw, Simmonds. Replacements: George, Hepburn, Williams, Kruis, Underhill, Care, Jospeh, Nowell.
1'Hello and welcome to ESPN's live coverage of Italy v England at Rome's Stadio Olimpico. Eddie Jones' side are favourites for both this match and the Six Nations title, but could be faced with some of the unusual tactics they saw from Conor O'Shea's side during last year's 36-15 win.
1'0-0 Start of first half

Six Nations Championship 2018 News