Mini Games
England play host to Italy at Twickenham Stadium on Sunday, March 9, in the Six Nations Championship. England are out to maintain their perfect record against Italy, having won all 31 previous encounters. Head coach Steve Borthwick has made changes, including dropping fly-half Marcus Smith to the bench, with Elliot Daly coming in to start at full-back and Fraser Dingwall inside centre. Italy are seeking their first win over England in this one.
England and Italy’s Six Nations rivalry has been all one-sided since the latter joined the tournament in 2000, which is why in England vs Italy betting, it’s the home team who are clear favourites to win. In 31 encounters, England have won them all, and often by comfortable margins. Italy have put in spirited performances on occasion, but Twickenham remains a difficult venue for the Azzurri.
Historically, England have had more quality, physicality, and strength in depth, which is why they’ve been able to dominate this contest. Matches have seen England rack up high-scoring victories, with their forward power and expansive play overwhelming Italy. However, in more recent years, Italy have been showing signs of progress, pushing England in patches, notably so in Rome in 2022, where the scoreline remained respectable. Italy are continuing to improve, but the challenge in front of them against England remains huge and one that may still be a step too far for them.
England’s form in the Six Nations continues to be marked by narrow victories. They edged out France 26-25 and Scotland 16-15. Despite winning these games, criticism has come the team's way, notably for their playing style. Prop Ellis George was quick to remind fans about the importance of winning, even by slim margins. Head coach Steve Borthwick has made changes that may improve matters for their match against Italy.
Italy have endured a mixed campaign in the 2025 Six Nations so far. They lost 31-19 to Scotland but bounced back with a 22-15 win over Wales. However, a heavy 73-24 reverse at the hands of France followed, which has been a major blow. They will be looking to get back on track against England by being competitive, at the very least.
As mentioned above, Steve Borthwick has made changes for the match against Italy. Fly-half Marcus Smith is out, having been dropped to the bench. Elliot Daly starts at full-back, and Fin Smith retains his place at fly-half. Fraser Dingwall is in for Henry Slade, and hooker Jamie George will earn his 100th cap.
England will look to captain Maro Itoje to lead them and to provide defensive cover. Fin Smith, praised for his playmaking abilities, and Jamie George, who is vital in set-pieces, will be two players who can help England win.
Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada has made changes ahead of their match against England. Simone Gesi is in for the injured Monty Ioane on the wing, while Gianmarco Lucchesi starts at hooker, with Giacomo Nicotera dropping out.
Captain Michele Lamaro will be pivotal from both leadership and defensive standpoints in this one. Fly-half Tommaso Allan, returning after family commitments, will add some magic to the playmaking department, while Ange Capuozzo has the speed and agility to make a difference. But whether that will be enough against England at Twickenham remains to be seen.
There will be several intriguing tactical player battles to keep an eye on at Twickenham as England take on Italy.
Steve Borthwick has opted for Fin Smith at fly-half, dropping Marcus Smith to the bench. This is a strategic decision that will see England take a more structured approach to their attack. England will look to Fin Smith to orchestrate their attack and to dictate the tempo. Italy’s Tommaso Allan, with his experience and flair, will be out to stop Smith from doing so. Allan’s playmaking and tactical kicking will be key for Italy. The winner of this player battle will give their team a great chance of successfully implementing their game plan.
England’s skipper, Maro Itoje, is renowned for his leadership qualities and his defensive ability. He will be out to disrupt Italy at the breakdown and dominate line-outs. Itoje will come up against Italy’s captain, Michele Lamaro, who continues to be instrumental in his team’s defensive efforts. He will lead by example through his high tackle count and work rate. The contest between these back-row forwards will be crucial where securing possession is concerned.
Steve Borthwick’s decision to select Fraser Dingwall at inside centre, replacing Henry Slade, aims to inject fresh energy into their midfield. Dingwall’s familiarity with Northampton teammates, such as Fin Smith, could enhance England’s attacking cohesion. Dingwall will come up against Italy’s Ignacio Brex, who is one of their standout performers. The winner out of Dingwall and Brex will secure important territorial advantage.
Steve Borthwick’s first in as England head coach came in a 31-14 victory over Italy in the 2023 Six Nations. Since then, the team has faced problems taking on top-tier opponents, leading to inconsistent performances. Under Borthwick, there have been defensive vulnerabilities. Still, England are out to improve, and at the 2025 Six Nations, while they’re not really in the running according to Six Nations outright betting, addressing the issues at hand will be beneficial further down the line.
Gonzalo Quesada has been at the helm as Italy head coach since last January, and in that time he’s orchestrated a remarkable transformation where the team’s Six Nations performances are concerned. In the 2024 Six Nations, Italy recorded a historic 13-13 draw against France and defeated Scotland and Wales. The upward trajectory has continued in 2025, with back-to-back wins over Wales. They’re a team on the up and that’s thanks to Quesada.
The venue for England vs Italy is, of course, the iconic Twickenham Stadium. With a huge capacity of 82,000, the atmosphere is set to be formidable. It will hugely favour England, a team that has never lost to Italy on home soil.
There’s good news on the weather front, too, with mild conditions expected but no rain or wind. The conditions for a March clash are ideal, and both teams should be able to play without any hindrances.
Six Nations betting regularly has England as favourites to win, and that’s not about to change against Italy. Steve Borthwick’s side start as strong favourites to win this contest, because overall, they are the better team and they have never lost to Italy. England also come into this contest with something to play for, whereas Italy are playing for pride at this point.
This doesn’t mean the match won’t be competitive. Italy will challenge England and once again prove they’re a team on the up. But it’s unlikely to be enough on the day, even if they run Borthwick’s team close, which is possible.
