Rome’s modern amphitheatre awaits an injured England, mired in a Six Nations battle, and Italy sense a rare chance to rewrite history, while at Murrayfield, France hoist the trophy and Scotland still harbor hopes of winning their first title…
Moment of truth for England and Borthwick
If defeats to Scotland and Ireland brought the year’s momentum to a shuddering halt, defeat to Italy would shake the foundations of English rugby.
Italy have never beaten England, but there is no doubt that they could not be better equipped to defeat them at the 33rd attempt this Saturday at the Stadio Olimpico.
The Azzurri are stronger than at any point in the Championship’s history, turning what was once a routine mission in Roma into a dangerous one.
After heavy defeats to Scotland and Ireland, the stakes are high. England have never finished a Six Nations campaign with just one win.
However, with a final round matchup against Grand Slam-chasing France looming, if they fall short against Italy, a once-unthinkable outcome could become a reality.
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James Cole looks at some of the biggest talking points from England v Italy’s Six Nations clash
Will Borthwick’s personnel changes work?
In an unprecedented move for an England Six Nations head coach, Steve Borthwick has made nine personnel changes and three position changes.
The overhaul has focused on the backline, with Tommy Freeman the only survivor from the 42-21 defeat to Ireland, who has also been shifted from the wing to outside centre.
Finn Smith returns to fly-half for his first Test start since the autumn, while Seb Atkinson joins Freeman in a revamped midfield combination.
The scale of the change will largely depend on Borthwick’s roll of the dice, on which his decisions as a selector surely depend.
Itoje leads England into the amphitheater
Manager Maro Itoje reminded England players of their responsibility to their kits as he explained the standards expected of them when they take to the field at the Stadio Olimpico.
England’s challenge is to avoid a self-defeating start in the third and fourth matches as they look to rebuild before heading to Paris for the tournament’s climax.
Itoje’s final words before kick-off will be a rallying cry aimed at spurring a reaction to recent setbacks.
“Enjoy the opportunity, enjoy the moment and remember what an honor it is to do what we have to do,” the England captain said.
On the day Maro Itoje won his 100th cap, Ireland lost 42-21 to England.
“We have a responsibility to ourselves, to everyone in the room, to everyone in this program and to our fans. The best parts of who we are are aggressive, confrontational and accurate, and we have to make sure we deliver on that.
“This week is about us taking the game to Italy. They are a very good team. It’s not about waiting to see what happens and how they do. It’s about us taking the game to Italy as soon as the game starts.”
“I think there’s an energy, a vitality, a bounce in our steps, and that’s what we need.
“We all care. We all want to win. When you don’t win, you get even more emotional. There was definitely an emotional reaction in training, and the most important thing is to see it in the game.”
Can Scotland progress to the final weekend of the Six Nations?
Can Scotland beat France and ignite the Six Nations title race?
The fate of the Championship could be decided before England play in Italy, with second-placed Scotland hosting leaders France at Murrayfield.
The Scottish side, aiming for their first top-two finish this century, will leapfrog the visiting side unless they secure a bonus-point victory and don’t allow Les Bleus to lose a bonus point.
On the other hand, if France wins with a bonus point, Fabien Galthie’s side will win their second consecutive title with one game remaining.
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsed insists his focus is on keeping his team’s title hopes alive until the final weekend.
Mr Townsend said: “We haven’t really talked about that” about the possibility of France holding celebrations on Scottish soil. “Staying in the Championship for another week is what we can do.
“We have the last game in Dublin and we know we have work to do, but the important thing is to win. That’s why we’re here. We’ll see after the game what it means for the Championship, but the important thing is to put in a winning performance.”
“The greatest discomfort” – Tuipulotu puts on the gauntlet
Sione Tuipulotu takes on Scotland to bring heat to France
Sione Tuipulotu challenged Scotland to take the title to the final weekend by making life as unpleasant as possible for the French.
“This is one of the biggest games we’ve played as a group so let’s see what they can do for us here at home,” said the Scotland captain.
“What an exciting opportunity we have created. Having one of the best teams in the world coming to Murrayfield is a great next step for us.
“We feel like we’re being tested heading into this fourth game, especially after coming up short in a close game against Wales two weeks ago. We’re ready for wherever this game takes us.”
“The job is to make France uncomfortable for as long as possible. We need to start fast, but when you play a team of quality like France, just starting fast doesn’t win you. We have to start early and finish early.
“I want to earn another week with this group as we pursue our biggest goal of lifting the Six Nations trophy.”
“Forget about the title” – DuPont calls for focus on France
France could defend their Six Nations title with a bonus point win in Edinburgh with games remaining
Antoine Dupont has insisted France should focus solely on beating Scotland, rather than being distracted by their chances of winning the Guinness Six Nations title this weekend.
Last year, they defeated Scotland in the final round amid raucous scenes at the Stade de France to claim their first title since 2022.
If they fail to win the trophy this weekend, they will have another chance to play against England in Paris next Saturday.
“It’s important to win when you’re in a competitive position,” DuPont said. “Obviously, for many reasons, it would be very positive if we could win this tournament, but we still have two games left and we are far from winning.
“The aim is to win games. We know how difficult it is to win here. There is no need to talk about the quality of the Scottish team, especially in this tournament.”
“Our focus is on the here and now. There will be time to see what happens next.”
Six Nations fixtures: Matchday 4
Friday
Ireland vs Wales – Aviva Stadium, Dublin (8.10pm kick-off)
Saturday
Scotland v France – Edinburgh, Murrayfield (2.10pm kick-off) Italy v England – Rome, Stadio Olimpico (4.40pm kick-off)
