Italy 12 England 17

The Six Nations game between Italy and England at the Stadio Flaminio, Rome, on Sunday Feb 14 2010.

Jonny Wilkinson, a long way from his best but on target when it counted at the death, won this drab encounter with a late drop goal but there was no glory for an England team who struggled, pitifully at times, to proudce any coherent rugby.

England went close in the opening minute of this Six Nations Championship clash when Ugo Monye chased Delon Armitage's grubber, but fine work from Tito Tebaldi saved Italy who went straight on the attack themselves, Australin Rugby League convert Craig Gower launching his backs with much more fluency than last week.

A speculative cross-field kick also nearly brought dividends with Gower picking out No 8 Alessandro Zanni on the right wing, the tall Treviso man outjumping Monye and going close before losing possession.

England weathered that storm and went upfield to open the scoring with a Jonny Wilkinson penalty, equalised moments later by Mirco Bergamsco, preffered as first-choice kicker ahead of Luke McLean.

Monye again threatened after a nicely timed intervention by Mark Cueto, but will be disappointed not to have got past covering centre Gonzalo Garcia as he tore down the left wing.

England were showing distressingly little composure and then, shock upon shock, Wilkinson missed two penalties in succession - the second from virtually in front of the posts.

As one wag commented: "Does anybody know what plan B is?"

A little harsh perhaps, but as England's confidence ebbed their main offensive weapon appeared to be prolonged bouts of meaningless aerial pingpong, at which the Italians were marginally best at returning.

Indeed, they moved upfield purposefully on a couple of occasions, and eventually forced England into conceding another penalty, which Mirco Bergamasco slotted from in front of the posts to give them an unlikely lead five minutes from half-time.

Italy probably deserved to lead at the break but as a tedious first-half ebbed away England perked up a little and a strong run from Flutey put them on the attack, forcing Italy to concede a penalty wide out on the right.

Wilkinson might have been forgiven for passing that one but stepped up to the plate and landed a fine touchline kick that went some way to settling frayed nevers a little.

The opening exchanges of the second half were equally tedious but England finall produced a classy passage to score through Matt Tait down the left wing, after Monye had broken through the first tackle.

Wilkinson, to more widepread disbelief, again missed a kick in front of the posts when attempting the conversion.

Still England struggled for any fluency but they were beginning to take a territorial stranglehold of the game and they extended their lead on the hour when Wilkinson, having just picked himself up gingerly after a heavy tackled, relocated the target and slotted over from 30 yards.

The departure of Martin Castrogiovanni for hands at a defensive ruck didn't help Italy, but they are nothing if not spirited and down to 14 men started to produce some of their best rugby, and were well rewardarded with a third penalty from Mirco Bergamasco.

England were nervy, Lewis Moody was very lucky indeed not to be yellow carded for taking out McLean in the air as he casually draped his arm around the full-back's throat, Bergamasco added a fourth penalty and suddenly England were struggling again.

It was time for route one, basic rugby and thankfully that's what they belatedly produced, working a position for Wilkinson to land a simple right-footed dropped goal.

Match details:

Italy XV: Luke McLean (Treviso); Andrea Masi (Racing Metro) Gonzalo Canale (Clermont), Gonzalo Garcia (Treviso), Mirco Bergamasco (Stade Francais; Craig Gower (Bayonne), Tito Tebaldi (Gran Parma); Salvatore Perugini (Bayonne), Leonardo Ghiraldini (Treviso, capt), Martin Castrogiovanni (Leicester) Quintin Geldenhuys (Viadana), Marco Bortolami (Gloucester), Josh Sole (Viadana), Mauro Bergamasco (Stade Francais) Alessandro Zanni (Treviso).
Replacements: Pablo Canavosio (Viadana) for Tebaldi (53), K Robertson (Viadana) for Masi (54), M Aguero for Castrogiovanni (70)
Pens: Mirco Bergamasco (4)

England XV: Delon Armitage (London Irish); M Cueto, M Tait (both Sale), R Flutey (Brive), U Monye (Harlequins); Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon), Danny Care (Harlequins); T Payne (Wasps), D Hartley (Northampton), D Cole (Leicester), S Shaw (Wasps), S Borthwick (Saracens, capt), J Haskell (Stade Francais), Lewis Moody (Leicester), N Easter (Harlequins)
Replacements: M Mullan (Worcester) for Payne (64), Louis Deacon for Shaw (67), D Wilson (Bath) for Cole (67), S Thompson (Brive), for Hartley (72), S Armitage (London Irish) for Moody (75)
Try: Matt Tait.
Pens: Wilkinson (3), Wilkinson (d/g)

Referee: C Berdos (France)