Former England player Matt Dawson feels Haskell is lucky to have avoided a card.

Image source, Reuters

A let off for England.

The changes don't stop the pattern of giving away penalties, as England come in from the side, but Carlo Canna is off target for the first time this afternoon.

Meanwhile, Danny Care is on for Ben Youngs to mix things up at scrum-half.

Courtney Lawes and Mako Vunipola are off. Joe Marler and Joe Launchbury are on.

Image source, Reuters

George Ford is once again giving Luke McLean something to get under.

He sees it out of the Rome heavens and gets crunched by James Haskell while he's still in the air.

Penalty. But no card.

Image source, AP

Paul Grayson
Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 live

“Perhaps a loss of confidence there from Dylan Hartley – throwing to the man rather than into the space.”

More England frustration. They get the line-out down brilliantly but Dan Cole infringes and it's an Italian penalty. Chance missed.

Image source, AP

Dylan Hartley fails to throw his line-out straight, so it's an Italian scrum.

Swing Low starts to ring out across the Stadio Olimpico as Mike Brown gathers a deep kick and charges into midfield.

Luke McLean does well to get under a high one but there's no-one with him at the breakdown. Ben Youngs chases his own kick and Italy have to scramble it out in a dangerous position.

England edged the attacking stats in the first half, as well as the scoreboard. 

Image source, Opta

Finally Luke McLean sticks it out after a lot of kicking and chasing. There was also a decent break from Mattia Bellini in the midst of all that.

Carlo Canna gets us started in the second period and it's time for a bit of kicking tennis.

Donald Henson: Italy passionate and really playing for the ball not the player. England look lumbering in comparison.

Former England player Jeremy Guscott says what he expects in the second half:

Two of six line-outs lost for England...

Image source, Opta

Here's that England try in all its glory. Just click the play button.

I'm so glad there was a try, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to show off this fancy little feature.

Both sides conceded six penalties in that first half.

All of England's were given away by six different players, so it's endemic rather than an individual problem.

Andrew Priestley: Italy are battling for every single ball at every single breakdown. England are struggling to live with their competitiveness

Ian Bradley: England focused on how big the last quarter will be, meanwhile they're not turning up, rubbish.

Joe Gauden: Same old England, giving away stupid penalties.

Paul Grayson
Former England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 live

“Eddie Jones' words may come back to bite. Talk the talk, then you got to walk the walk. The line-out hasn’t functioned properly and England look disjointed.”

Image source, EPA

England wanted to smack Italy?

More like a flick around the ear hole in that first half.

It's all got a bit bonkers in the final few minutes.

England get the maul moving from an attacking line-out and then whizz the ball across to the other side. Jack Nowell thinks he's in for a fleeting moment but Italy regroup well.

Not only that, they've snatched a loose one and George Biagi has hacked it clear. Nowell is back in position though to clear it up and the half-time whistle toots.