Ollie Lawrence stood down from rugby with immediate effect

The powerhouse Bath centre will miss Saturday’s huge Six Nations showdown with Italy in Rome after suffering a knee injury. It’s another brutal blow for Steve Borthwick’s side following the 42–21 humiliation at the hands of Ireland last weekend.

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Lawrence — who started that record defeat — has been left out of the 36-man squad heading to face the Azzurri. He skipped last week’s two-day training camp and, after seeing a specialist, has now been ruled out completely.

England are scrambling for solutions. Tommy Freeman could be shifted from the wing back into the centres at the Stadio Olimpico, while Henry Slade is also in the mix at outside centre.

At inside centre, Gloucester’s Seb Atkinson gets the nod alongside Northampton’s Fraser Dingwall, who featured in England’s opening three Six Nations clashes. There’s no room, though, for Max Ojomoh.

And the problems don’t stop there. Borthwick is already being forced into a change at scrum-half with Alex Mitchell sidelined by a hamstring injury.

One boost? George Furbank — released to play for Northampton at the weekend — is back in the squad and looks set to start at full-back.

England battered. Squad stretched. Rome awaits.