Official Italy v England thread

[sturginho]

Capuozzo has gastroenteritis so has dropped out of the team, as has Iachizzi who has a shoulder injury, Pani comes into the starting XV and Mori and Izekor on the bench (hopefully some second half fireworks from the pair of them!)

15 Tommaso ALLAN (Perpignan, 79 caps)
14 Lorenzo PANI (Zebre Parma, 5 caps)
13 Juan Ignacio BREX (Benetton Rugby, 30 caps)
12 Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, 12 caps)
11 Monty IOANE (Lione 25 caps)
10 Paolo GARBISI (Montpellier, 31 caps)
9 Alessandro GARBISI (Benetton Rugby, 7 caps)
8 Lorenzo CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 16 caps)
7 Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 33 caps) – cap
6 Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 52 caps)
5 Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 49 caps)
4 Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 36 caps)
3 Pietro CECCARELLI (Perpignan, 31 caps)
2 Gianmarco LUCCHESI (Benetton Rugby, 17 caps)
1 Danilo FISCHETTI (Zebre Parma, 36 caps)

A disposizione:

16 Giacomo NICOTERA (Benetton Rugby, 18 caps)
17 Mirco SPAGNOLO (Benetton Rugby, esordiente)
18 Giosuè ZILOCCHI (Benetton Rugby, 16 caps)
19 Andrea ZAMBONIN (Zebre Parma, 3 caps)
20 Alessandro IZEKOR (Benetton Rugby, esordiente)
21 Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 17 caps)
22 Stephen VARNEY (Gloucester, 24 caps)
23 Federico MORI (Bayonne, 13 caps)

[inactionman]

Capuozzo has gastroenteritis so has dropped out of the team, as has Iachizzi who has a shoulder injury, Pani comes into the starting XV and Mori and Izekor on the bench (hopefully some second half fireworks from the pair of them!)

15 Tommaso ALLAN (Perpignan, 79 caps)
14 Lorenzo PANI (Zebre Parma, 5 caps)
13 Juan Ignacio BREX (Benetton Rugby, 30 caps)
12 Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, 12 caps)
11 Monty IOANE (Lione 25 caps)
10 Paolo GARBISI (Montpellier, 31 caps)
9 Alessandro GARBISI (Benetton Rugby, 7 caps)
8 Lorenzo CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 16 caps)
7 Michele LAMARO (Benetton Rugby, 33 caps) – cap
6 Sebastian NEGRI (Benetton Rugby, 52 caps)
5 Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 49 caps)
4 Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 36 caps)
3 Pietro CECCARELLI (Perpignan, 31 caps)
2 Gianmarco LUCCHESI (Benetton Rugby, 17 caps)
1 Danilo FISCHETTI (Zebre Parma, 36 caps)

A disposizione:

16 Giacomo NICOTERA (Benetton Rugby, 18 caps)
17 Mirco SPAGNOLO (Benetton Rugby, esordiente)
18 Giosuè ZILOCCHI (Benetton Rugby, 16 caps)
19 Andrea ZAMBONIN (Zebre Parma, 3 caps)
20 Alessandro IZEKOR (Benetton Rugby, esordiente)
21 Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 17 caps)
22 Stephen VARNEY (Gloucester, 24 caps)
23 Federico MORI (Bayonne, 13 caps)

Bah. He's a lovely runner, was looking forward to seeing him.

[JM2K6]

Half English by parentage, born in Cambridge, England U20s...

I can't believe you actually landed that Welsh lad - not a moan in any way, of course - actually born and bred in Cardiff and still living just across the border.

Just good timing I expect - given there's some immediate benefits to him beyond the money iirc, it was probably not too difficult a choice once you factor in how fucked Welsh rugby is and how being EQP is extremely useful

Or maybe he really feels English, I dunno!

[Raggs]

Half English by parentage, born in Cambridge, England U20s...

I can't believe you actually landed that Welsh lad - not a moan in any way, of course - actually born and bred in Cardiff and still living just across the border.

Just good timing I expect - given there's some immediate benefits to him beyond the money iirc, it was probably not too difficult a choice once you factor in how fucked Welsh rugby is and how being EQP is extremely useful

Or maybe he really feels English, I dunno!

Isn't it basically he wants to stay in Exeter for his medical degree, which is 6 years. So he'd get 2-3 years in a Welsh shirt, then they'd insist he left Exeter or simply not get more caps.

[SaintK]

I can't believe you actually landed that Welsh lad - not a moan in any way, of course - actually born and bred in Cardiff and still living just across the border.

Just good timing I expect - given there's some immediate benefits to him beyond the money iirc, it was probably not too difficult a choice once you factor in how fucked Welsh rugby is and how being EQP is extremely useful

Or maybe he really feels English, I dunno!

Isn't it basically he wants to stay in Exeter for his medical degree, which is 6 years. So he'd get 2-3 years in a Welsh shirt, then they'd insist he left Exeter or simply not get more caps.

Correct, he'd already left Birmingham University where he was studying when Wasps went bust. Chiefs came in for him and he transferred to Exeter University

[JM2K6]

I can't believe you actually landed that Welsh lad - not a moan in any way, of course - actually born and bred in Cardiff and still living just across the border.

Just good timing I expect - given there's some immediate benefits to him beyond the money iirc, it was probably not too difficult a choice once you factor in how fucked Welsh rugby is and how being EQP is extremely useful

Or maybe he really feels English, I dunno!

Isn't it basically he wants to stay in Exeter for his medical degree, which is 6 years. So he'd get 2-3 years in a Welsh shirt, then they'd insist he left Exeter or simply not get more caps.

Yup, those are the immediate benefits.

[Tichtheid]

Just good timing I expect - given there's some immediate benefits to him beyond the money iirc, it was probably not too difficult a choice once you factor in how fucked Welsh rugby is and how being EQP is extremely useful

Or maybe he really feels English, I dunno!

Isn't it basically he wants to stay in Exeter for his medical degree, which is 6 years. So he'd get 2-3 years in a Welsh shirt, then they'd insist he left Exeter or simply not get more caps.

Yup, those are the immediate benefits.

I imagine twenty odd grand per game won't hurt when he's a med student either

[JM2K6]

I said beyond the money!!!!!!! 1

[Tichtheid]

I said beyond the money!!!!!!! 1

Soz, I wasn't meaning that in any way to be a dig, or negative in the slightest.

The debts students come out with are an outrage imo,

I just kind of meant it in a flippant "ooh that's 'andy" way - my jokes are funnier in person, I promise.

[Enzedder]

Got the perfect emoticon for the Poms here

[Paddington Bear]

Got the perfect emoticon for the Poms here

It’s just us and you who have never lost to them now, matter of time

[geordie_6]

Got the perfect emoticon for the Poms here

It’s just us and you who have never lost to them now, matter of time

Though probably rather longer for them.

[fishfoodie]

Got the perfect emoticon for the Poms here

It’s just us and you who have never lost to them now, matter of time

Blimey, that's true isn't it ? Well done Italy, slowly getting there.

They've always been capable of the one-off performance, but it's stringing a couple together, so they aren't just trying to avoid the dreaded wooden spoon, but aiming for mid-table.

[Hal Jordan]

Late change as Genge is ruled out with a foot injury and Obano comes in for him.

[sockwithaticket]

I've been listening to some of the BBC podcasts talking Italy up and seen a few comments around the internet about how good Italy were last 6N that conveniently forget how dismal they were at the world cup and that for all their promising play in the 2023 tournament they finished dead last with no wins. Even in our dogshit state with Borthwick having just taken over we put 30 on them with a 17 point margin.

Fully prepared for it to come back and bite me, but I'm feeling confident of a comfortable win by at least 20 points.

[PCPhil]

It's the big one. Whoever wins this has one hand on the trophy.

[sturginho]

The "king" of Italy died today, let's see if the team can give us something else to celebrate!

[Slick]

This thing of kickers going 5M + past the mark is another one of these infuriating things that refs don’t ref any longer

[sturginho]

Stop the count!

[Blackmac]

Chesum looks very underwhelming for a pro rugby forward.

[PCPhil]

Bancos ghost in the crowd.

[sturginho]

The fuck is Jones doing there?

[Hal Jordan]

Chesum looks very underwhelming for a pro rugby forward.

He's no Charlie Ewels.

[Slick]

Certainly going at Englands 10/12 channel

[PCPhil]

Nice. Bazzball'ish.

[sturginho]

AVV IT!

[Hal Jordan]

Chessum makes the gap and Marler can't plug it, Italy take advantage.

Good thing we box kicked that advantage away.

[PCPhil]

That's what always screws Italy. Good lineout, space to work and a no reason knock on in the backs.

[Sandstorm]

Is that an England try???

[Slick]

I’m
Sure there was a knock on at the ruck before that

[Sandstorm]

10-8 Italy
21 mins

[Hal Jordan]

Nice stuff by Freeman, Daly scores a vintage Saracens winger's try, jogging in out wide after everyone else has done the hard work.

[sockwithaticket]

Too much passing out the back from static forwards who haven't fixed a defender.

[Sandstorm]

Too much passing out the back from static forwards who haven't fixed a defender.

Yup, England looked over-coached in that facet.

[sturginho]

Yeeeeeeeeeeahahagsrjfbdvshsvrjkdbznd0sbpkwus

[Sandstorm]

Gorgeous Italy try

[Margin__Walker]

That was so shit from England. They had an age to sort there numbers out there

[Hal Jordan]

Absolutely sliced us open there.

[Tichtheid]

I was a wee bit concerned about that last pass, but the bird's eye view showed it to be good

[Hal Jordan]

Oh, Slade throwing his usual massive defensive rick, I see.