After defeat in Cardiff, England may be relying on other teams to do them a favour against Wales if they are to win this year’s Six Nations but don’t expect Eddie Jones’ team to show Italy much mercy at Twickenham in a game that is likely to prove as one-sided as the match betting odds suggest.
England v Italy Current Match Betting
England 1/100, Draw 100/1, Italy 50/1 (Odds correct at 5.30pm March 6)
England Team News and Form
That defeat in Cardiff snapped a four-game winning run for England and was probably unnecessary as they looked to have the measure of the Welsh for the best part of an hour. They’d racked up a total of 76 points in earlier impressive wins over Ireland and France and beaten Australia 37-18 in the autumn internationals so preparations for the World Cup appear to be well on track, making their capitulation at the Principality Stadium all the more disappointing. Jones will not over-react, however, and is unlikely to risk the returning Maro Itoje against Italy unless he is fully fit. Bath’s Charlie Ewels has been called up as cover with Courtney Lawes missing out due to a calf strain picked up against Wales. George Ford could start if Owen Farrell is rested.
Italy Team News and Form
Conor O’Shea’s Azzurri have lost their last 20 Six Nations matches dating back to 2015 and, though they haven’t been on the end of any real beatings so far, there has been little sign this year that the sequence is about to come to an end. They did surprise England at Twickenham two years ago, however, by refusing to contest rucks and actually led at half-time. But that tactic is no longer allowed and, unsurprisingly, the Italians have little hope of avoiding the wooden spoon yet again, even though domestic rugby in Italy appears to be on the up. Captain Sergio Parisse should be fit to face England after missing the France defeat due to the protocols surrounding concussion. He has vast experience and will bring invention to the backs while Tito Tebaldi was impressive against Ireland and could also ask a few questions of an England team which may not be at full strength but Twickenham remains a fortress.
England v Italy Head-to-Heads
England have played Italy 24 times and won every one. Their last five meetings have seen England score between 36 and 52 points with a winning margin of at least 21 points so it’s hard not to see Eddie Jones’ team not recording a bonus point victory against the 2019 Azzurri to keep their faint hopes of the Six Nations title alive.
England v Italy Predictions
England to win by 31-40 points in the Winning Margins market is 29/10 with 888sport. That might have been a tall order in the Stadio Olimpico but at Twickenham the England fans will want the home side will keep attacking and their backs could cut loose as the game wears on. Flying machine Jonny May is 9/2 to be First Tryscorer with Betway with Boylesports offering 3/1 that the first scoring play is an England penalty.
