England's Six Nations campaign has descended into a full-blown crisis after a humiliating 33-31 defeat to Italy in Rome, marking their first ever loss to the Azzurri in 33 attempts. The result leaves Steve Borthwick's side with three consecutive defeats, each more soul-destroying than the last, and places the head coach under enormous pressure with a daunting trip to Paris next week.
The match saw England squander a lead as ill discipline once again proved costly. Sam Underhill and captain Maro Itoje both received yellow cards, reducing England to 13 men at a critical juncture and handing Italy the belief to secure a famous victory. Itoje, who had earlier described the team as 'bullet-proof', was left stunned at the final whistle, with players like Marcus Smith and Chandler Cunningham-South visibly shell-shocked.
Borthwick's decision to make 12 changes to his starting lineup backfired, and his side failed to rectify fundamental flaws that had been identified after previous defeats. Despite enjoying plenty of possession, England's kicking game yielded little, and their error count was disastrous. Fin Smith, in particular, struggled to manage the game in the second half, with audible groans from the travelling supporters when he kicked waywardly.
The defeat raises serious questions about Borthwick's future, with the Rugby Football Union's chief executive Bill Sweeney likely to face pressure to act sooner rather than later. England's next assignment is against a France side gunning for the title, and another heavy loss could spell the end for Borthwick's tenure.
