LONDON (AP) — Rebuilding England returned to its traditional strengths to give new coach Steve Borthwick his maiden win and smother Italy 31-14 in the Six Nations on Sunday.

England responded to being sliced apart by Scotland last weekend by outmuscling the Italians, pinning them in their half for long periods, and swarming all over them.

The focused home side had the result in hand by halftime at 19-0 up. The second half loosened up but a penalty try gave them the four-try bonus point and they capped the scoring with a first try for wing Henry Arundell, considered England’s next big thing.

“We've taken some steps forward,” Borthwick said. “Our ruck speed could have been quicker. When our ruck speed went up, we stressed the defense more. When it slowed down, we didn't.”

Italy has never beaten England but, after pushing France close, came to Twickenham wearing danger signals. But everything Italy coach Kieran Crowley worried about was borne out: England was direct, unified, and the defense was solid.

“We need to work on a more structured and effective Plan B that we can use when our Plan A fails,” Crowley said. “We are the most penalized team in terms of scrums in this Six Nations, so we need to understand how to improve.”

Borthwick's team changes paid off, especially flanker Jack Willis, the first France-based England player in the Six Nations in 11 years. He scored the opening try in a standout 53-minute shift. The new midfield of Ollie Lawrence — named man of the match — and Henry Slade got over the gainline, and captain Owen Farrell back at flyhalf controlled the match well thanks to the ride provided by his forwards.

Their dominance was so strong, notably in the first half, that Farrell elected not to take any penalty goalkicks. Instead, he targeted the corner for lineouts five times and England got tries from three. Another try originated from a tap penalty, and Arundell was put over in the corner by another replacement, scrumhalf Alex Mitchell.

Italy got tries from prop Marco Riccioni and replacement scrumhalf Alessandro Fusco, but little else went right. The scrum was a liability, and the attack often went lateral in a struggle to break England's rush defense. Captain Michele Lamaro was lost to a thigh injury in the first quarter and they played a man short for 20 minutes after yellow cards to No. 8 Lorenzo Cannone and replacement prop Simone Ferrari.

Cannone's yellow in the first half after persistent fouling by Italy was particularly costly. England used its command over a pack it was already on top of to score two tries with the man advantage.

Willis opened the scoring with a too-easy try off a lineout drive. His roar of delight and the glee of his teammates spoke to his overcoming adversity.

In this fixture two years ago, Willis scored a try as a replacement but moments later he was carried off after a crocodile roll tore his left knee. He was out for 53 weeks. When his Wasps club went into bankruptcy in October, he was hired by Toulouse. The circumstances give him special dispensation to be picked for England.

After Cannone was sin-binned, a tapped penalty led to England lock Ollie Chessum scoring. Then Jamie George was driven over from a lineout maul and they led 19-0.

Italy rallied to lead France from 19-6 down, and started the new half with 18 phases finished by Riccioni driving past three defenders to score. But that was Riccioni's last act in a rough first test in 15 months. His replacement, Ferrari, was then sin-binned for collapsing a lineout maul which conceded the penalty try.

Fusco's converted try brought Italy to 26-14 but Arundell sealed England's 30th straight win against the frustrated visitors.

England goes to Wales next in two weeks. Italy will host unbeaten Ireland.

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