England looked to keep their Six Nations Championship hopes alive with a big win over Italy in the final weekend of the 2020 championship on Saturday.
While Italy were already relatively match-fit after their 50-17 loss to Ireland last week, England were unable to play their post-lockdown match against the Barbarians due to a breach of protocols from several Barabrians players.
Eddie Jones' men were looking to earn the maximum of five points from the match to go atop the table with the main event of Ireland versus France later in the day.
If England were to win with a bonus point, and Ireland went on to win without earning a bonus point, then the points difference of the two sides would determine the winners of the Six Nations for 2020.
Knowing full well what was required of them, England came out firing in the first five minutes of the match.
After coming close to scoring off of a charge down moments earlier, England got the first score of the game in the first five minutes after Owen Farrell broke the Italian defensive line and offloaded to Ben Youngs who went in under the posts.
England's Ben Youngs runs in to score his sides first try during the Guinness Six Nations match at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome. Marco Lacobucci/PA Wire/PA ImagesFarrell slotted the easy conversion, and looked to continue their early dominance from the restart.
After spending the next five minutes inside the Italian half, England were awarded a penalty in front of the posts. Somewhat surprisingly, Farrell opted to kick the points rather than push for the second of their much-needed tries.
Despite their initial frailties on defence, Franco Smith's men soon looked more composed in the face of the English attack.
They forced an English error inside the visitor's half, and capitalised on the mistake through a brilliant regather from Carlo Canna.
Canna offloaded to Jake Polledri, who ran through two English defenders to score in the corner. The kick was not converted, meaning that Italy remained five points behind after 20 minutes.
Things went from bad to worse for Jones' men, as Jonny Hill was shown yellow for a head-high challenge on Italy's Edoardo Padovani.
England's Billy Vunipola runs with the bad towards the Italian defence during the Six Nations rugby union international match between Italy and England at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, Italy, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)With a man up over their visitors, Italy looked to keep ball in hand and attack the 14-man English defence.
England coped well with Italy's frenetic attack, with tempers fraying slightly around the half hour mark.
Not content with going for points, Smith's men were given a number of penalties inside the English half, which they drilled into touch for the lineout.
England survived their ten minutes with only 14 men, conceding no points, however Italy looked confident with possession in the English half, coming close to scoring on a few occasions.
England eventually applied more pressure on the hosts, coming just short of the Italian try line. Polledri was sent off for ten minutes for disrupting the ball at the breakdown on his own 5m line.
The hosts were able to get the ball back on their own try line and set up a lineout on the half way line in the final minute of the half.
England's Jonny May (centre) is tackled by Italy's Marcello Violi (right) and Paolo Garbisi during the Guinness Six Nations match at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome. Marco Lacobucci/PA Wire/PA ImagesChaos ensued, as Federico Mori managed to get the ball in space and chip into the English in-goal.
Himself and George Furbank wrestled to see who would touch it down, but the ball ultimately was ruled dead and England clung onto their five point lead at half time.
Almost immediately from the kickoff of the second half, an Italian error allowed England to get possession inside the hosts' half.
Youngs scored his second of the match just a minute into the half, after selling a dummy at the back of the ruck and running in under the posts. Farrell added the extras to make it a 12-point lead.
The change in game plan at half time was evident for the visitors, as they capitalised off of good field position to score from a lineout maul. Jamie George was awarded the score, with Farrell adding the conversion.
England finally secured their bonus point as Tom Curry spotted a gap on the outside of the Italian defensive ruck. He broke down the blindside to score in the corner.
Farrell missed the conversion from out wide, meaning that England were likely too close for comfort in terms of points difference heading into the final 10 minutes of the match.
England's Kyle Sinckler (left) is tackled by Italy's Guglielmo Palazzani during the Guinness Six Nations match at the Stadio Olimpico, Rome. Marco Lacobucci/PA Wire/PA ImagesFive minutes later England added to their title hopes through Henry Slade, who collected a Farrell grubber and crossed in the corner.
Farrell missed only his second kick of the game, taking the visitors to a 29-point lead.
England looked to add on e final score after the clock turned red, knowing that points difference could determine this year's championship.
Their enthusiasm ultimately cost them, as Italy were awarded a penalty two minutes after the 80.
With a 29-point win, England moved to the top of the table, with both France and Ireland capable of overtaking them.
All Ireland need is a seven-point win over France later on Saturday to win the championship
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