Match Previews 
/ Will Greenwood / 09 February 2011 / Leave a Comment 
England will expect another formidable display from Mike Tindall on Saturday
Composure was key to England's winning start against Wales but, against Italy, Will Greenwood believes it's time for the Red Rose to be brutal...
I went down to Cardiff on Friday night with four mates and the buzz in the city was amazing. Everybody understood the importance of the game and the atmosphere inside the Millennium Stadium was electric, so much so that I had to re-watch the match on Monday because my memories were a little hazy.
The efficiency of England's performance was deceptive in that it obscured just how difficult it is to win in Cardiff. This was a victory of great magnitude and that should be remembered. I'd probably give England seven-and-a-half out of ten for their performance but Martin Johnson will make sure that they don't get complacent.
Personally, I loved a bollocking after a good win because it kept my feet on the ground. England looked comfortable but Johnno will be furious with occasional moments of indiscipline. They gave away four penalties when they were under scant pressure and that must be addressed.
I was impressed by how well England did the basic things. The line-out functioned really well and, while the scrum wasn't quite as dominant as expected, it gave the team a strong platform. Mike Tindall was imperious at the restarts, Toby Flood kicked well from hand and floor and England controlled the game when they had the ball. Shontayne Hape was at fault for the Welsh try but, overall, England are strong in midfield. They have developed continuity and solidity from playing together for an extended run of games and Johnno's small steps team building is coming to fruition.
Calm and composure were required against the Welsh but this weekend, against Italy, England will take a different approach. I said last week that arrogance can be a good thing in a rugby player and, in the week leading up to games against the Italians, away from the forwards ears the backs would talk about how many tries we could score'
Those days are gone and England will be respectful of Italy, especially after they pushed Ireland so close in Rome last week. The Italians improve every season, they have a front five who can mix it with anyone in the world and their defence is well organised. England should limit goal-kicking opportunities and not allow the game to descend into an arm wrestle.
Now is the time for England to be brutal. They must use Saturday's match at Twickenham as an opportunity to show that they can destroy teams in the way that New Zealand do, in that way that Australia did to France in the autumn. With this in mind, there are two ways you can go with this weekend's bets.
Which England handicap line you opt for depends on whether you want to have a go with a big bet or play safe. I expect a home win by a considerable margin so I'm actually going to mix up my bets by choosing both. You should take everything you can on England with the handicap of 22.5 points. That will win you your stake for a bolder flutter on England -34.5 points at [3.6]. I think there's a serious possibility that England will run riot at Twickenham!
Recommended bets:
Back England -22.5 points @ [2.06]
Back England -34.5 points @ [3.6]
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