Robinson on fire as England get winning start

Italy 9 England 50

Jason Robinson led an England try spree as the world champions launched their RBS 6 Nations Championship campaign with a comprehensive victory over Italy at Stadio Flaminio.

The Sale speedster scored a hat-trick, which featured two devastating 30-metre sprints, while fellow wing Josh Lewsey, full-back Iain Balshaw, fly-half Paul Grayson and debutant Chris Jones also touched down.

Grayson, replacement for the injured Jonny Wilkinson, also added three penalties and three conversions to complete a 20-point haul.

Italy produced some outstanding rugby in patches, with full-back Andrea Masi a major threat, but they were restricted to a drop-goal and two penalties from fly-half Rima Wakarua.

Robinson’s spectacular 22nd-minute solo touchdown underlined the gulf in class between a brave Italian outfit and an England side that produced flashes of brilliance.

There was never the remotest hint of England suffering a shock defeat in their first Test match since beating Australia to win the World Cup three months ago.

And Lawrence Dallaglio’s men will head to Scotland on Thursday, confident that they can complete the second leg of a potential second successive Six Nations Grand Slam.

There were times when they appeared to miss the talismanic presence of retired skipper Martin Johnson, yet it was still a case of a job well done on their first appearance since lifting the Webb-Ellis Trophy last November.

They scored 24 points without reply during the second period, and head coach Clive Woodward was able to use all seven of his substitutes, such was England’s control.

There were errors, many of them of the handling variety, but England maintained their 50-point average from three Six Nations visits to Rome, and once again, they look like being the team to beat.