Parisse wants half-back improvement

Sergio Parisse cut a dejected figure as possibly his best chance yet to experience victory against England evaporated at a frozen Stadio Olimpico.

Following defeats by four and five points in their last two home Six Nations matches against England, Italy equalled their closest ever score but still went down 15-19.

And yet when they scored two tries in the final two minutes of the first half to turn around with a 12-6 lead at the break, it looked like that historic first ever victory against the 2003 world champions was distinctly on the cards.

The Stade Francais No.8 acknowledged this was a chance they had let slip through their fingers while insisting that they have to improve their decision making, particularly in the half-back positions.

"Obviously we've missed a great opportunity but you have to look at the game as a whole," he said.

"The first half was not exceptional. Maybe in the first 10 minutes we did something that we had been working on in training and got the ball behind them.

"We scored a try [through Giovanbattista Venditti] and then [Tommaso] Benvenuti did well to go for the ball and score a try, but it wasn't a great half, it was just the points that looked good.

"We wanted to play in their half and put them under pressure but unfortunately at this level the choices you make on the pitch are very important, especially at nine and 10.

"I'm proud of my team but heart and determination are not enough, we need to manage things better.

"I'm not just disappointed for the team but also for the whole public because they deserved a positive result."

French coach Jacques Brunel lamented how quickly the lead slipped away at the start of the second half.

Australian-born flyhalf Kris Burton had just kicked a penalty to give the hosts a 15-6 lead when Italy stole the ball at a ruck.

It was fed back to full-back Andrea Masi with time and space but he dallied over his clearing kick and Charlie Hodgson charged it down before going over to score.

Within four minutes of that, Italy had lost the lead.

"Conceding the try in this moment was a bit quick, the team was doing well but they scored 10 points in 10 minutes [actually four minutes] and that was very quick," he said.

"We still need to improve to manage the games in this intensity and when the game is very tight like this one.

"We need to improve to be more efficient with the penalties because we left 11 points on the field which is a bit too much at this level."

Burton missed a conversion and a kickable drop-goal while his replacement, South-African born Tobias Botes, hit two woeful penalties that were also in good positions.

Botes is first choice scrum-half at club level with Treviso, with whom he is keeping both Italy number nine Edoardo Gori and replacement Fabio Semenzato out of the team.

But with regular fly-half Luciano Orquera injured, Brunel has used Botes as replacement number 10 due to his kicking ability.

Burton had a poor day with the boot and was replaced by Botes after just 48 minutes, but things didn't improve.

"I wanted to see Botes at this level but also to give greater speed with the ball in hands," said Brunel of the early substitution.

"We were struggling to manage the game in the first half but Botes also had difficulties with his kicking and missed both penalties.

"I think for a first time for Botes [to have an extended run at 10] it wasn't an easy game and we have to see in the rest of the tournament how he will improve."

AFP