Italy vs England: Azzurri to make England sweat in Rome
Never has it felt like more has been riding on a Six Nations clash between Italy and England but that seems to be the case ahead of Saturday's showdown at the Stadio Olimpico.
England were deemed to be serious Six Nations title contenders leading into this year's tournament and a 48-7 win at home to Wales in the opening round backed that up.
However, the cards have come tumbling down in the England camp following back-to-back defeats to Scotland and Ireland, and now head coach Steve Borthwick is under immense pressure ahead of a tough trip to Rome.
Italy have already taken Scotland's scalp in the Eternal City in the opening round of this Six Nations and England will know they need to be on it if they are to head back to London with the spoils.
Tip 1 – Italy +7.5 handicap @ 17/20
Italy to pile pressure on England
Making sweeping changes following their 42-21 defeat at the hands of Ireland at Twickenham, Borthwick has brought in nine fresh faces to the starting XV for Saturday’s game.
While giving others a chance could see England turn the corner after those defeats to the Scots and the Irish, it feels like Borthwick has quickly abandoned many of the players who delivered a 12-match winning streak before that loss at Murrayfield.
Italy have already beaten Scotland in monsoon conditions in Rome, before earning a losing bonus point with a 20-13 defeat at the Aviva Stadium against Ireland.
The Azzurri were also in the contest for much of the game last time out against France, before Les Bleus pulled away in the latter stages in Lille.
England scraped a 27-24 win over Italy the last time these sides met in Rome in 2024 and the Azzurri with a +7.5 handicap gets the nod here.
Tip 2 – Total Points by Italy - Over 21.5 @ 4/5
Azzurri can rack up points
Italy have come a long way from the side that many questioned if they should remain in the Six Nations just a few years ago.
The Azzurri have beaten all teams in this competition except England, but that record could come to an end this weekend in Rome.
Looking back at the last two games between these sides, England edged that 27-24 win in Rome, before the Red Rose triumphed 47-24 at Allianz Stadium last season.
Italy have shown they can score points against England and the Azzurri to bag over 21.5 points for the third time in a row against Borthwick’s men is worth considering.
Tip 3 – Over 6.5 total tries @ 4/5
Dry conditions can make for high-scoring showdown
While it's expected to be rainy and cloudy in London, those lucky enough to be in Rome this weekend can look forward to dry weather and up to 18°C.
It bodes well for great conditions for running rugby, which should make for a high-scoring game on Saturday.
Italy and England have already conceded 10 tries respectively after the first three rounds of the championship and there could well be plenty of tries on the cards at the Stadio Olimpico.
There were 10 tries scored the last time these sides met in the Six Nations and going for over 6.5 tries on Saturday looks a smart option.
Odds correct at time of publication but subject to fluctuation