England’s Six Nations campaign has plunged deeper into crisis after a shock defeat to Italy in Rome.
The Azzurri secured a famous 23–18 victory over England, piling further pressure on head coach Steve Borthwick and all but ending England’s hopes of salvaging their championship.
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What was supposed to be a title push has quickly turned into a battle for pride.
From Title Dreams to Crisis
Before the tournament began, Borthwick had already circled one key date — a potential title decider in Paris against France.
Instead, England arrive at the closing stages of the championship battered by defeats.
The warning signs first appeared in a 31–20 Calcutta Cup loss to Scotland at Murrayfield.
Things worsened when Ireland ran riot at Twickenham, hammering England 42–21 and exposing major issues in defence and attack.
Now Italy have piled on even more misery.
Pressure Mounting on Borthwick
England now find themselves stuck in the lower half of the table with just one win — against Wales — to show for their campaign.
Expectations were high heading into Borthwick’s fourth championship in charge, but the results have fallen far short.
Despite the mounting pressure, the RFU are not expected to make any decision on Borthwick’s future until after the Six Nations tournament has concluded.
With a daunting trip to Paris still to come, England’s focus will now be on restoring some pride before the championship ends.
The title dream is gone.
Now England are fighting simply to avoid complete humiliation.
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“Finished” – 5 England players who flopped against Italy
With the Rugby World Cup drawing closer, the performance raises serious questions about England’s direction under Borthwick. Once again they lacked control, composure and attacking clarity when the match began to turn.
Here are five England players who endured a difficult afternoon at the Stadio Olimpico.
Sam Underhill
Underhill was handed a late opportunity after Tom Curry suffered an injury in the warm-up, and he immediately brought his trademark physicality to England’s defence.
His relentless tackling allowed England to challenge fiercely at the breakdown, and he quickly became one of the side’s most active defenders. In fact, he finished level with Maro Itoje as England’s leading tackler with 13.
For much of the contest, the flanker looked determined to prove he deserved a starting place. However, the defining moment of his afternoon came midway through the second half when he was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Danilo Fischetti.
With Underhill and Itoje both off the field at the same time, England’s defensive structure collapsed and Italy seized control of the game. It was a costly mistake on what had otherwise been a committed display.
