In the end, it was the rout everyone expected, although at one stage the hosts were 20-17 down with half an hour to go.
But England then obliterated the Azzurri 80-23 after scoring seven second-half tries.
The records tumbled too; it was England’s highest score in the championship, the biggest winning margin of all-time, and it was also an individual masterclass from Jonny Wilkinson
He finished the game with 35 points, eclipsing Ronan O’Gara’s previous record of 30.