6 NATIONS INTERNATIONAL RUGBY TEST: England face Italy

11.02.2012
England v Italy in Rome

Venue: Stadio Olimpico

Referee: Jérôme Garces (France)

Preview
England has kept to the same 22 that struggled against Scotland last weekend. With such a new-look side that is not surprising. It will take several games for this new English side to gel, if they do gel.

Italy has made two changes to their starting lineup. Veteran of 89 tests Marco Bortolami moves into lock replacing Van Zyl, whilst Canale is in for Scgabi. Coming in onto the bench is another veteran, 88 capped Mauro Bergamasco.

Italy will be out to cause another major upset. They defeated France in Rome last year. Can they ambush a rookie English side and grab their first win against England? I think they might just do it!

Last Five Encounters
12.02.2011 England 59-13 at Twickenham (6 Nations)
14.02.2010 England 17-12 in Rome (6 Nations)
07.02.2009 England 36-11 at Twickenham (6 Nations)
10.02.2008 England 23-19 in Rome (6 Nations)
10.02.2007 England 20-7 at Twickenham (6 Nations)

England Last Five
04.02.2012 v Scotland W 13-6 at Murrayfield (6 Nations)
08.10.2011 v France L 12-19 in Auckland (World Cup, Quarter Final)
01.10.2011 v Scotland W 16-12 in Auckland (World Cup, Pool B)
24.09.2011 v Romania W 67-3 in Dunedin (World Cup, Pool B)
18.09.2011 v Georgia W 41-10 in Dunedin (World Cup, Pool B)

Italy Last Five
04.02.2012 v France L 12-30 in Paris (6 Nations)
02.10.2011 v Ireland L 6-36 in Dunedin (World Cup, Pool C)
27.09.2011 v United States W 27-10 in Nelson (World Cup, Pool C)
20.09.2011 v Russia W 53-17 in Nelson (World Cup, Pool C)
11.09.2011 v Australia L 6-32 in Albany (World Cup, Pool C)

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table-England 8th, Italy 12th
Europe Table-England 2nd, Italy 6th

IRB Ranking Points
England 82.34, Italy 73.99

Prediction: Italy by 4 points

Teams

England

15		Benjamin Foden	Northampton Saints
14		Christopher Ashton	Northampton Saints
13		Bradley Barritt	Saracens
12		Owen Farrell	Saracens
11		David Strettle	Saracens
10		Charles Hodgson	Saracens
9		Benjamin Youngs	Leicester Tigers
8		Phillip Dowson	Northampton Saints
7		Christopher Robshaw (Capt.)	Harlequins
6		Thomas Croft	Leicester Tigers
5		Thomas Palmer	Stade Francais, France
4		Mouritz Botha	Saracens
3		Daniel Cole	Leicester Tigers
2		Dylan Hartley	Northampton Saints
1		Alexander Corbisiero	London Irish
16		Robert Webber	London Wasps
17		Matthew Stevens	Saracens
18		Geoffrey Parling	Leicester Tigers
19		Benjamin Morgan	Llanelly Scarlets, Wales
20		Lee Dickson	Northampton Saints
21		Jordan Turner-Hall	Harlequins
22		Michael Brown	Harlequins
		HEAD COACH: Stuart Lancaster

Italy

15		Andrea Masi	Aironi
14		Giovanbattista Venditti	Aironi
13		Tommaso Benvenuti	Treviso
12		Gonzalo Canale	Clermont Auvergne, France
11		Luke McLean	Treviso
10		Kristopher Burton	Treviso
9		Edoardo Gori	Treviso
8		Sergio Parisse (Capt.)	Stade Francais, France
7		Robert Barbieri	Treviso
6		Alessandro Zanni	Treviso
5		Quintin Geldenhuys	Aironi
4		Marco Bortolami	Aironi
3		Martin Castrogiovanni	Leicester Tigers, England
2		Leonardo Ghiraldini	Treviso
1		Andrea Lo Cicero	Racing Metro, France
16		Tommaso D'Apice	Aironi
17		Lorenzo Cittadini	Treviso
18		Antonio Pavanello	Treviso
19		Mauro Bergamasco	Aironi
20		Fabio Semenzato	Treviso
21		Tobias Botes	Treviso
22		Luca Morisi	Parma
		HEAD COACH: Jacques Brunel