2. Maro Itoje (England): Unforgivable captain
Itoje was far more involved than he has been in previous rounds of the tournament.
The England captain produced several dominant tackles and won a key turnover early in the second half. His relentless work at the breakdown briefly helped relieve pressure as Italy pushed forward.
But the momentum swung dramatically around the hour mark. After England conceded a penalty, Itoje was shown a yellow card for knocking the ball out of Alessandro Fusco’s hands — a decision that sparked debate but proved hugely damaging.
With England reduced further, the contest quickly slipped away from them.
Former England international Austin Healey voiced his frustration on X, writing:
“Sorry that’s unforgivable from your captain.”
Itoje’s defensive contributions were notable, but the costly card overshadowed his efforts.
3. Tadhg Furlong (Ireland): Power without punch
Furlong dug in for plenty of hard yards but never quite looked like the destructive force Ireland rely on. His carrying lacked its usual punch and he even spilled possession in the 56th minute during one of Ireland’s forward surges.
Ireland did initially hold the upper hand at scrum time, and Furlong remained heavily involved in the tight exchanges as the Irish pack tried to grind down the Welsh defence.
However, his afternoon was blemished when he failed to stop opposite number Rhys Carre in the lead-up to Wales’ try before half-time. Frustration began to show as the game wore on, including a heated moment with replacement prop Nicky Smith before he was eventually withdrawn.
CONTINUES ON PAGE THREE
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