Italy 23-18 England: Historic defeat plunges Steve Borthwick into crisis
During the build-up to the match, Borthwick had urged his team to take the risk and make one more pass. But Italy looked wiser and more ambitious throughout.
A pair of smart strikes from fly-half Paolo Garbisi (the second a well-weighted sideways push to release Ioane) set up the field position from which the fly-half scored his first points of the match in the 21st minute.
An accurate long-off line-out delivery and Earl’s rumble gave England the momentum to slot in Tommy Freeman for a ninth Test try, but Smith extended the kickable conversion and Italy lurked precariously as England continued to crumble.
Five minutes before the break, Menoncello, Italy’s leading metre-maker, clean-breaker and defender-striker so far in the championship, dealt with the threat.
On the verge of collapse, the 23-year-old galloped past a stunned Heyes to put Italy ahead 10-5.
England recovered. Even if it’s short.
Smith’s clever strike handed play to Tom Roebuck and the Sale wing showed masterful footwork on the stroke of half-time.
A pair of penalties from Smith at half-time extended England’s lead to 18-10 and England looked to be turning the tide of the contest with Underhill and Itoje dropping deep for turnovers.
However, with 25 minutes left and the match looking set, England managed to hand the initiative back to Italy.
Underhill and Itoje watched grimly from the sidelines as first Garbisi’s boots, then a brilliant all-pitch performance from the backline – Ioane stepping past Roebuck a tiny clearance, Menoncello charging and Marin gleefully diving in – took the contest away from them.
England found some late urgency as they chased the game in vain. Ollie Chessum drilled a hole to turn the Italian defense but the tackle extinguished the danger.
England looked stunned and at the end of the day the ball was dead as the clock turned red and the Stadio Olimpico lit up and rose to its feet around them.
Losing to France in Paris next weekend will mark the third time in the 115-year history of the Five and Six Nations that England have lost four matches in a single season.
