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Wilkinson sets record in tame win

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LONDON, England -- Jonny Wilkinson became the leading scorer in the history of the Five/Six Nations championship as England labored to a disjointed 20-7 victory over Italy at Twickenham on Saturday.

Wilkinson's first score, a third-minute penalty, took him past former Wales fly-half Neil Jenkins to a record 409 points. With five penalties he finished the match on 421.

Wilkinson's trusted boot spared the threat of a huge shock as Italy, who had shipped an average of 53 points in their last three visits, pushed the hosts back for long periods of the second half.

Italy, who have not won a match in the competition since 2004, gave a much improved performance from their 39-3 rout by France in Rome last Saturday -- their much-vaunted forwards digging in for a battle of attrition with the England pack.

England, in an error-strewn first half, lacked cohesion and were bereft of ideas until Jason Robinson finished a period of pressure late in the first half with the game's opening try.

They were three Wilkinson penalties to the good at that stage but their opening 40 minutes were unimpressive.

Italy lost winger Denis Dallan to a serious looking ankle injury after 26 minutes following a seemingly innocuous collision with a team mate.

Pierre Berbizier's side offered little attacking prowess themselves in the opening period, their main tactic being to launch high balls that full-back Iain Balshaw comfortably dealt with until the Gloucester player's match was ended by a recurrence of a groin injury.

England at last fashioned a decent move late in the half which ended with a try-saving tackle from full-back Roland De Marigny a yard from his own line.

England won a penalty from the subsequent lineout and from a driving maul Italy were again penalized, earning captain Marco Bortolami a yellow card.

Wilkinson again opted for a kick in the corner and from another lineout the ball was swiftly spread left, culminating in Robinson gathering Andy Farrell's loose pass on the bounce to dive over in the corner.

Another Wilkinson penalty made it 17-0 15 minutes into the second half but it was Italy who were looking the sharper by this stage.

Desperate defending kept Italy out as they threatened a try, Josh Sole thwarted by Mike Tindall, but England's defense was finally, and deservedly breached on 65 minutes.

Italy broke well from their own half down the left flank and exposed England's lack of defenders as fly-half Andrea Scanavacca was able to gather up from the ground and run through unchallenged from 10 meters.

Scanavacca kicked the conversion to haul Italy to within 10 points before Wilkinson eased England's nerves with another penalty five minutes from time.

Field position

"I'm delighted we won the game but we got the balance of the game wrong and that's my fault," sais England coach Brian Ashton.

"I talked about the importance of field position all week and the players may have taken that too literally," Ashton explained. "If that's the case then I hold my hands up.

He added: "I congratulate Italy on rebounding from their (39-3) defeat against France last week. I thought, especially in the second-half, their forwards put a bit of a stranglehold on our game.

While Wilkinson's goalkicking was as reliable as ever, his tactical kicking was often imprecise and ultimately an 82,000 crowd, featuring Britain's Princes William and Harry, booed when he lined up the last of his penalty shots.

Wilkinson, who had scored a Calcutta Cup record 27 points against Scotland in his first England match after an injury-induced absence of more than three years, admitted: "It was a different game to last week. We didn't get everyone into the game and I felt less involved as it wore on.

"You have to react when things don't go your way and that's what we have learned today.There are things to learn but you'd rather find these things out now than two games before the World Cup."

For Italy, without injured flanker Mauro Bergamasco and centre Andrea Masi, this was a much improved effort following last week's Rome reverse.

"I said all week what a difficult game this would be," added Ashton. "I'm not convinced many people believed me but there's the evidence."

Just before the try, Italy were unlucky to see captain Marco Bortolami, the Gloucester lock, sent to the sin-bin by Welsh referee Nigel Owens for coming in from the side at a maul, his first offence.

"That decision changed the game," said Italy coach Pierre Berbizier and Bortolami added: The referee was very difficult today and took a few decisions that were tough on us."

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