These Azzurri tactics are the Italian Job brought back to south-west London.

Meticulous preparation, out-the-box thinking and perfect execution.

Italy have been refusing to commit men to the breakdown, scrubbing out the offside line and making it a Wild West scene with blue shirts invading into the England backline.

It is rugby Jim, but not as we know it.

England have 15 minutes to come up with the solution.

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Tom Barnes:  100% deserved lead for Italy, Connor O'Shea and Brendan Venter tactical masterclass. England must change something.

Brian Lyall:  1/2 time result Eng vs Italy nearly as satisfying as scot win yesterday.

Hugh Thomas:  Brexit, Trump, Italy???

There's little questioning that Italy's half-time advantage is anything less than deserved.

England saw slightly more of the ball towards the 40 minute mark, but they've hardly ventured into the Italian 22...

Image source, Opta

In fairness, Italy haven't spent much time in the English 22, but some astute defensive work means they have what - through all intents and purposes - is a sensational lead.

Tom Fordyce
Chief sports writer at Twickenham

England's worst half of rugby under Eddie Jones, a mess of sloppy kicking, penalties at scrum and breakdown and lack of mental speed as well as physical impact. The home dressing-room will not be a pleasant place to be.

Image source, Rex Features

Connie Jeffrey:  Wouldn't be surprised if Italy planned that try. WHAT.IS.HAPPENING.

Theo Bowyer:  England's indiscipline is suffocating their whole strategy... deserved half time lead for Italy. Eddie to read the riot act!

Meer Shah:  Payback by Italian as England are simply outsmarted at the break. A mighty HT talk needed by Eddie to resurrect England.

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

Italy have had to do nothing to be in the lead at half time.

England have made no headway and failed to adapt to a tactical play by Italy.

England have no intensity, no shape, hunger or drive. They look like some of the England teams post-2003.

Eddie Jones descends the West Stand steps to the dressing room with a face like thunder.

Twickenham chiefs might as well get the decorators on speeddial. The paint in the home dressing room is going to be peeled right off by the Aussie blowtorch words.

Italy break out from deep with Dries van Schalkwyk finding a hole to worm through and thunders upfield.

England chase back, but the defensive line never gets reorganised.

Nathan Hughes off his feet and Italy with a shot at goal.

Tommaso Allan steps up to secure a half-time lead...

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

That's the beauty of the game and the interpretation of the game.

It's just a tackle, the ball is on the floor and just sitting there in open play.

It goes against conventional wisdom but that's the way the law is written.

Danny Care disappears through a glimmer of a gap, chips over Edoardo Padovani, but the Italy full-back read it, turned and gathered to claim the mark.

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Solutions to England's problems are flying in on Twitter...

James Haskell and Dylan Hartley take advantage of a break in play to get a refresher from Romain Poite on the offside laws.

And they are slowly and surely adapting their tactics. More forward rumbles and rolling mauls and they have Italy going backwards. 

It might not have been a free-flowing encounter to this point, but as we approach half-time Italy are still ahead in the possession stakes. England lead on the scoreboard, though...

Image source, Opta

Former England 7's captain Chris Cracknell gets it...

Is this where Italy poached their tactic from...?

The penny seems to have dropped for England's forwards.

They pick and go around the corner of the breakdown to take advantage of Italy's unconventional tactics.

Forget your ambitions of wide attacking rugby. You have to earn the right for that with ball-up-the-jumper stuff.

Image source, Getty Images

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

Without a shadow of a doubt, the worst England performance under Eddie Jones so far.

It's indicative of what's going on in between the ears, they are all fine physically.

Tommaso Allan clips a drop-goal over the sticks to ensure his team have points, after Italy have battered away, but barely dented England's defensive line.

Fully deserved,

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