6 Nations Preview: England vs Italy match preview

England begins its Six Nations 2024 campaign by travelling to Rome to face Italy on the road.

Steve Borthwick will not be disheartened to begin his Six Nations campaign against a team they have never been defeated by, as he hopes to guide England to their first championship since 2020.

England vs. Italy Game Information

Date: Saturday, February 3^rd, 2024

Location: Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy

Kick-off: 14:14 GMT

Where to Watch: ITV1 & Virgin Media

England vs. Italy: The History

England had a decisive 31-14 win over Italy in the 2023 Championship. 

Italy and England have competed in a cumulative 30 rugby test matches since their first encounter in 1991. England now has an impeccable record of winning every game, maintaining a flawless 100% success rate.

Six Nations 2024 Betting Odds Insight

Team	Six Nations Winner	Grand Slam Winner	Triple Crown Winner
England	5/1	14/1	4/1
Italy	500/1	2000/1	-

 

England [5/1]

Prior to the World Cup, Steve Borthwick's England was plagued by numerous uncertainties, but the Red Roses finished in third place, exceeding all expectations. England, the most successful team in Six Nations history, completed a dismal fourth in the standings in the 2023 edition.

Owen Farrell will be absent for the Red Roses this year, but if they can secure victories against Wales, Italy, and Scotland in the first three rounds, they could place themselves in an extremely strong position. However, England could find the final two contests against France and Ireland too taxing.

Italy [500/1]

Six Nations bettors can browse popular UK betting sites to find a wealth of valuable lines; however, the 500/1 price tag on Italy speaks volumes. 

Italy has improved their Six Nations performance; however, they could not secure a solitary victory in the 2023 tournament. It is unwarranted to anticipate a resurgence in their performance this year, as they are predicted to finish with the worst record.

The best result for the Italians would be to see them strengthen their offensive conduit and concede fewer points than they did in 2023.

The Latest England vs. Italy Team News

Steve Borthwick, the head coach of England, and Gonzalo Quesada, the head coach of Italy, have both named their Six Nations squads.

Borthwick has chosen 36 players, seven of whom are uncapped. Quesada'a selection of back-rower Ross Vincent, the South African native, has garnered significant attention.

England Forwards: Ollie Chessum, Dan Cole, Alex Coles, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Chandler Cunningham, Ben Curry, Theo Dan, Alex Dombrandt, Ben Earl, Ellis Genge, Jamie George, Joe Heyes, Nick Isiekwe, Maro Itoje, Joe Marler, Beno Obano, Tom Pearson, Ethan Roots, Will Stuart, Sam Underhill.

England Backs: Oscar Beard, Danny Care, Elliot Daly, Fraser Dingwall, Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, George Ford, Tommy Freeman, George Furbank, Ollie Lawrence, Alex Mitchell, Tom Roebuck, Henry Slade, Fin Smith, Marcus Smith, Ben Spencer, Freddie Steward.

Jamie George has been appointed as the captain of the England rugby team for the Six Nations tournament. However, Kyle Sinckler and Billy Vunipola have not been included in Steve Borthwick's selection.

George, who has previously served as the leader of the Lions and Saracens, assumes the position for the first time due to Owen Farrell's choice to abstain from the tournament to prioritise his and his family's mental health.

The 36-man squad includes seven players who have not yet represented their country at the international level. However, the absence of Sinckler and Vunipola, who have been key side members in the last two World Cup cycles, is more significant and noticeable.

Borthwick has implemented a substantial overhaul of his team, retaining just 17 players out of the 34 who participated in the last World Cup, when England achieved a third-place result.

Italy Forwards: Pietro Ceccarelli, Danilo Fischetti, Matteo Nocera, Luca Rizzoli, Mirco Spagnolo, Giosue Zilocchi, Gianmarco Lucchesi, Marco Manfredi, Giacomo Nicotera, Niccolo Cannone, Edoardo Iachizzi, Federico Ruzza, Andrea Zambonin, Lorenzo Cannone, Riccardo Favretto, Alessandro Izekor, Michele Lamaro, Sebastian Negri, Ross Vintcent, Manuel Zuliani, 

Italy Backs: Alesssandro Garbisi, Martin Page-Relo, Stephen Varney, Tommaso Allan, Paolo Garbisi, Juan Ignacio Brex, Tommaso Menoncello, Federico Mori, Marco Zanon, Pierre Bruno, Ange Capuozzo, Monty Ioane, Simone Gesi, Lorenzo Pani. 

Can England Win the Six Nations?

Sure! Of course, they continue to bear the marks of their underwhelming performance from a year ago, albeit they were just a few months under Borthwick's leadership. Subsequently, they have had the opportunity to adapt to his concepts and become cohesive throughout the World Cup.

France and Ireland are the frontrunners to reach the final, and the outcome of their opening match against each other is unpredictable. England anticipates defeating Italy, Scotland, and Wales in their first three matches, while France and Ireland will have already gone to war against each other.

Having the two formidable teams waiting in England’s last two matches, Borthwick will have an exceptional chance to overcome the disappointment of the World Cup semi-final in October and demonstrate to the rugby community that his England team isn’t to be messed with.