Italy matched France physically and, while England have never lost to the Azzurri, Saturday is a Six Nations chance as good as any for the hosts
Italy and England. On level points in the Six Nations table. Two rounds to go. And England have already played their Wales joker.
All in all, there is quite a lot riding on the fixture in Rome on Saturday, especially if you are interested in the lower reaches of the Six Nations table, a purgatory with which even England are quite familiar. They started this championship ranked third in the world, a whisker behind the All Blacks in second, and feeling (not unreasonably) rather good about themselves after 11 Test wins in succession. Then it was 12 (Wales), and then … oh dear.
Now they are in danger of emulating their recent championships of 2018, 2021 and 2023, when they finished fifth, fifth and fourth respectively. If they lose in Rome in the late afternoon on Saturday, and Italy, cock-a-hoop with their second victory of the championship, were to slip up in Cardiff on the final weekend, it is not out of the question that England finish, for the first time, last in the Six Nations. Quite the comedown.
Italy, though, will – or should – be harbouring grander ambitions. Fourth is their highest finish in the Six Nations (2007 and 2013), but there is little reason to argue they are not now worthy of a first finish in the top half, certainly if we are to go by the evidence of the first three rounds, from which they might very well have harvested more than the five points they have.
