Italy v England LIVE rugby: Result and reaction from Six Nations as England hold on to beat Azzurri
Italy 24-27 England: Steve Borthwick’s England come from behind and then hold on to edge out a fiesty Azzurri side in Rome
England recovered from a scruffy start and a 17-8 deficit to beat Italy 27-24 in their opening Six Nations game in Rome, ending a run of four successive opening-round defeats in the championship.
Italy flew out of the blocks with a Tommaso Allan penalty and a well-created try for Alessandro Garbisi and though Elliot Daly hit back for England, their new-look side looked disorganised, not least when Allan flew through for the hosts’ second try.
Two George Ford penalties closed the gap to 17-14 at half-time, somewhat flattering for England, but they took control in the second period, starting when scrum half Alex Mitchell showed great determination to claim their second try.
Ford’s boot stretched the lead and more aggressive defence kept Italy at bay until Monty Ioane broke through for a converted try in added time to earn Italy a losing bonus point.
Relive all the action from Rome below.You can get all the latest Six Nations odds and tips here.
TRY! Wales 19-27 Scotland (Aaron Wainwright 61’)
AND WALES GET THE TRY! They tap and go from the penalty as Beard runs it up. Next phase, Aaron Wainwright picks and goes and dives over.
Easy conversion and they’re within eight points. Scotland crumbling...
YELLOW CARD! Wales 12-27 Scotland
The maul moves forward but stopped short of the line. Wales go left, running phases through the forwards. Beard ploughs in but great tackle by Turner.
A penalty advantage and Scotland were warned that one more penalty would be a sin-bin and so it proves. Sione Tuipulotu caught offside and it’s 10 minutes in the bin - we’re back to 15 vs 14 again!
Wales 12-27 Scotland
59 mins: Wales eschew the three points and Lloyd kicks to the corner. Five-metre lineout and another try here would get them right back in it...
Wales 12-27 Scotland
58 mins: Wales with all the momentum now and they look effective running their phases. Up into the Scotland 22 as they move the ball side to side and it’s penalty advantage.
George Turner’s sin-bin is over and he’s back on the field. We’re at 15 vs 15 again.
Wales 12-27 Scotland
56 mins: It’s still 15 points that Wales trail by but they have hope at least. Space on the right and Adams charges down the flank but he decides to kick and it’s too long. Russell calls the mark in the 22.
Mason Grady on for Wales as well by the way,
TRY! Wales 12-27 Scotland (Rio Dyer 54’)
Well, well, well... Game on?
Wales tap and go from the penalty. Good tackle and then a loose pass as the ball hits the deck but Wales regather and a big carry from Teddy Williams. Nice offload from Tompkins out the back and Tomos Williams floats a long pass out wide to the left flank where Rio Dyer dives over.
And this time Lloyd nails the conversion! The Welsh side and fans are energised now. Do they believe in Cardiff?
Wales 5-27 Scotland
53 mins: Kick to the corner and the Wales lineout is working well now after that disastrous first half. The maul is on, inexorably going forward, a steady march...
They’re over the line but Scotland hold it up and they can’t get the ball down. It’s back for a penalty to Wales though.
Wales 5-27 Scotland
50 mins: Oohs and ahhs round the stadium as Skinner pinged for a high tackle, another seatbelt tackle. No more than just the penalty though.
Teddy Williams on for Wales in place of try-scorer Botham. And as we have a scrum, Ewan Ashman forced to come on for Scotland in the absence of George Turner to the sin-bin.
Wales win the penalty against the seven-man scrum! Are things turning in Cardiff?
YELLOW CARD! Wales 5-27 Scotland
48 mins: A way back into the match for Wales? Geroge Turner gets sin-binned for cynically pulling down that maul as it crossed the line. 10 minutes off the field for him. 15 vs 14 in Wales’s favour...
TRY! Wales 5-27 Scotland (James Botham 48’)
And Wales score! Finally on the board! They run a couple of phases, win another penalty and kick to the corner. The lineout is cleaner with Dee at the helm, they maul towards the line and a splinter group breaks off.
They maul across the line and it’s James Botham at the bottom of the pile. Wales needed that. Lloyd’s conversion slips wide of the left post though.
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