Italy vs England LIVE: Six Nations latest updates, scores and results with France vs Ireland to decide title
Follow the latest updates from the final day of the 2020 Six Nations Championship as England, Ireland and France battle for the title
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Your support makes all the difference.Follow the latest updates from the final day of the Six Nations after England moved top of the table with a 34-5 bonus-point win over Italy, with France’s clash with Ireland at the Stade de France to decide the destination of this year’s title.
Two tries from England centurion Ben Youngs helped his side secure the bonus point they desperately needed, with Jamie George also scoring on his 50 cap for his country. Tom Curry’s try in the second half secured the crucial bonus point, with Henry Slade adding a fifth for good measure.
It means that England have one hand on the trophy, but will have to wait for the result in the final game of the championship to know if they have clinched the title for the first time since 2017, as if Ireland beat France by six points - so long as they score a try - or by seven points, they will beat England to top spot, while a bonus-point win would also be enough for the Irish.
44 mins: Italy 5-17 England
Italy are up in arms when Bellini is taken late by Curry as he kicks the ball away, though it looks much more dramatic as the Italian wing puts everything into the kick that launches him into the air on contact. The penalty gives Italy good field position, but they lose the lineout and England are able to disrupt possession and force the ball into touch.
41 mins: Italy 5-15 England
Hill gets an early chargedown on Violi … TRY FOR ENGLAND!
41 mins: Italy 5-10 England
England kick off and the second half is under way!
HALF-TIME
England return to the field, and eventually Italy return to prepare for the second half.
HALF-TIME
England looked to be cruising in those first 10 minutes, but did they get complacent? Either way the game has been turned on its head and those subsequent 30 minutes were a ball of nerves, poor execution and ill-temper that has really knocked England off their game. Had England scored right at the end of the half their, the game would probably be going one way in the second, but this really is anyone’s game right now and that Six Nations title looks very distant indeed!
HALF-TIME
Before we crack on with assessing that disjointed half of rugby, here’s how Italy got themselves back in the match:
40 mins: Italy 5-10 England
The ball breaks loose and it’s hacked downfield and it’s a footrace between Mori and Earl. Earl slaps it back but only over the try line, and suddenly it’s Furbank and Mori going for it. Mori claims he’s grounded it, but the TMO reveals neither has and May’s recovery effort ensures England escape that one.
That brings half-time, but that was NOT the half of rugby that England expected, I can tell you that!
39 mins: Italy 5-10 England
Italy diffuse the maul, wrap up the ball and win the turnover, and the celebrations this time from the men in blue infuriates Billy Vunipola, who trusts his head into Negri’s chest and gets a telling off from referee Pascal Gauzere. That was truly wasteful from England.
38 mins: Italy 5-10 England
England set up a strong maul and it’s motoring, and Polledri comes in at the side to stop George from going over that sees the penalty given and the No 8 sent to the sin-bin. Having survived their own reduction, now England have the advantage. Can they convert? Farrell goes to the corner again.
37 mins: Italy 5-10 England
England again try to up the tempo, with Youngs rushing Garbisi and then Furbank chasing a Farrell kick well, and it forces Bigi off his feet in sealing the ruck that gifts England a penalty. Farrell turns down the shot to go for the corner…
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