England bolstered its chance to win the Six Nations rugby title after a decisive 47-24 victory over Italy at Twickenham on Sunday. The win, which included a total of seven tries, maintained England’s undefeated record against the Azzurri in test matches.
As the competition heads into its final round on Saturday, England currently occupies second place, trailing France by a single point. England will face Wales in Cardiff, while France hosts Scotland in Paris. If France secures a bonus-point win against Scotland, they will clinch the title, but England remains hopeful because of its performance so far in the tournament, highlighted by this comprehensive victory following narrow wins against both France and Scotland.
Although the match was tied at 14-14 just after the half-hour mark, England’s relentless play in the second half ensured their 32nd consecutive win over Italy. Hooker Jamie George remarked that their performance was indicative of their desired style of play. “It wasn’t perfect, by any means, but our intent to move the ball and get bums off seats is what we were trying to do,” commented George, who marked his 100th appearance for the national team.
The match saw contributions from players such as Ollie Sleightholme, who scored twice, while Tom Willis, Tommy Freeman, Marcus Smith, Tom Curry, and Ben Earl added to the try count. Flyhalf Fin Smith successfully converted six times. However, there were concerns as center Ollie Lawrence left the field early with a suspected knee injury and later returned to the bench wearing a protective boot.
Following a loss to Ireland in Round 1, England’s outlook has improved considerably under coach Steve Borthwick, especially after defeats to southern hemisphere giants New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa had put the team’s performance under scrutiny late last year. “We tried to attack from anywhere,” said replacement Luke Cowan-Dickie. “We knew it was going to be risky but we want to show the fans that we don’t want to kick as much and play with the ball.”
To keep their title hopes alive, England must overcome a struggling Wales team that is on a 16-game losing streak and rely on a favor from Scotland. In contrast, Italy’s performance brought glimpses of promise, highlighted by Ross Vintcent’s brilliant try after an incisive pass from Ange Capuozzo. Italy also saw tries from Capuozzo and Tommaso Menoncello, though they missed out on a potential bonus point, remaining in fifth place, just ahead of Wales.
Italy will conclude its campaign with a home match against third-place Ireland. The final set of matches, dubbed “Super Saturday,” kicks off with Italy vs. Ireland, followed by Wales vs. England, and ends with France — notably missing the talismanic Antoine Dupont — taking on Scotland.
