Josh Lewsey defended England's stuttering performance at Twickenham against Italy and insisted that Clive Woodward's side could still be world-beaters.

The Wasps full-back scored two brilliant tries in a stop-start performance which saw England triumph 40-5 to stay on course for a Grand Slam decider in the RBS 6 Nations Championship against Ireland at the end of the month.

But Lewsey, who seized his chance on his first appearance at Twickenham after coming in for the injured Jason Robinson, also revealed the disappointment in the England changing room after the home side had scored five of their six tries in the first 21 minutes, only to labour disappointingly for the next hour.

"It was good for the first 20 minutes," said Lewsey, who won the man-of-the-match award.

"It was a very sober dressing room. It was a frustrating game. We made so many unforced errors, but on the positive side we have won three out of three and scored 40 points against a very good Italian team.

"We went out to attack and attack and get back to what this team is best at. By doing that you tend to enjoy your rugby. The guys I was playing with today can rip teams apart.

"I just think a few nerves crept in. It was just one of those days where the errors crept in and spoiled the rhythm of the game."

Lewsey admitted, however, that after the first 20 minutes, in which he scored a phenomenal 60 metres touchdown, he was beginning to think international rugby was ridiculously easy.

"It was bizarre," he said. "I scored my second try and thought this international lark is all quite easy really. The boys were flying then and putting me into holes.

"When you've got the likes of (James) Simpson-Daniel and (Dan) Luger and (Will) Greenwood around you people are so wary of them that things tend to open up.

"We were disappointed to let in a try but, with the amount of ball that they had, we defended as a team very well. We worked very hard.

"If sport's games were all about ifs the whole world would be a different place but if the ball had gone to hand for the last 60 minutes we would have ripped that team apart. That's a very good Italian team.

"It's an inclination of the ambition of this side to be the best team in the world that we come off the field after putting 40 points on Italy and everyone has got their heads down. When it does click, though, you can see the potential that is there."

Jonny Wilkinson, captaining the side for the first time, went off injured in the 48th minute with a bruised shoulder after a tackle by Italian flanker Andrea de Rossi.

He fully expects to be fit for next weekend, however, and revealed the plan was always that he would give way to Charlie Hodgson in the second half.

As it was the Sale fly-half also went off injured after just six minutes, but Wilkinson said: "I've taken a bang on the shoulder. It was the cumulative effect of a few tackles. It's quite sore now but I'll be okay.

"We spent a lot of time defending and they came on strong in the second half. We had huge respect for the Italians and they scored a good try. But it's three wins out of three.

"For me it was a fantastic day. It was an honour and a privilege to be captain and I enjoyed it. We must now look at why things didn't quite work out in the second half."