England score seven tries in convincing win over Italy

England (21) 47

Tries: Willis, Freeman, Sleightholme (2), M Smith, T Curry, Earl Cons: F Smith (6)

Italy (17) 24

Tries: Capuozzo, Vintcent, Menoncello Con: P Garbisi (3) Pen: P Garbisi

England are best placed to take advantage of any final-day slip-up by Six Nations leaders France after they moved up to second in the Six Nations table with a seven-try victory over Italy at Allianz Stadium.

Wing Ollie Sleightholme crossed twice in an ultimately comfortable victory, but the hosts were made to sweat early on with Italy scoring two superb tries to stay within four points at half-time.

However, two scores in two minutes early in the second half, from replacement Marcus Smith and flanker Tom Curry, broke the visitors' resistance and allowed England to see out the match in unusual comfort after a series of home cliff-hangers.

Tommaso Menoncello's angled run repaired some of the damage, but was never going to switch the course of the contest.

The crowd indulged in long, loud renditions of Swing Low Sweet Chariot and generous applause for excellent visiting full-back Ange Capuozzo, before Ben Earl charged in on the final play to cap victory.

However, England will be without centre Ollie Lawrence for their final-round trip to Cardiff after he was carried off with a serious-looking Achilles tendon injury, which could also affect his chances of joining this summer's British and Irish Lions tour.

England will take on Wales in the second match of 'super' Saturday on 15 March, kicking off at 16:45 GMT at the Principality Stadium. They are one point behind France, who play Scotland in Paris later in the day, but 82 worse off in points difference.

That mammoth discrepancy means, barring an extraordinary scoreline in Cardiff, France would be able to wrap up the title with any sort of win over Scotland.

England eventually extinguish Italian flair

Italy's thrilling counter-attacks briefly had England wobbling

Any pre-match thoughts of making significant inroads into France's points difference advantage was pushed from Twickenham's minds in the first half as the visitors shot back with accuracy and flair.

Tom Willis had battered over for the fastest try of the championship in a little over three minutes, while Elliot Daly - picked ahead of Smith at 15 - claimed well in the air and hit some good lines and the front row emerged from the first scrum with a penalty.

There was not to be a replica of France's 11-try round-three rout of the visitors, though.

Italy full-back Capuozzo was the beneficiary for their first try as clever kicks ahead by Paolo Garbisi and Monty Ioane found space and pulled England's defence out of shape.

Capuozzo later turned creator, thrillingly slicing through England with a scalpel-sharp change of direction to open up a route for Exeter's Ross Vintcent to canter over.

England traded blow for blow with a cute Daly grubber, putting Tommy Freeman into the corner before good work from Ollie Chessum down one wing created space for Sleightholme to dive in the opposite corner.

But, with Garbisi kicking a penalty to cut the hosts' lead to four points and Lawrence - one of England's strongest performers so far this year - having been carried off, the hosts knew they were deep in a fight at the break.

They could easily have been behind on the scorecards at the start of the second half as well.

Italy surged straight into attack and wing Matt Gallagher was zeroing in on the corner, only to be chopped down by the covering Smith, on at 15.

A little over a minute later, Smith pelted up on Curry's shoulder to take a pop-pass and scorch round Capuozzo to make it 28-17.

The passage proved to be a decisive swing in the momentum. Curry burrowed over two minutes later and Sleightholme had his second soon after when some improvised offloading, including by Jamie George on his 100th England appearance, beat the cover defence.

With Fin Smith slotting all six conversions in an impressive performance off the tee, England motored 42-17 clear.

Menoncello and Earl's scores provided footnotes, but, after three wins on home turf, thoughts were already turning to the mathematics and chances of snatching the title on the road in the final round.

What they said

England head coach Steve Borthwick told BBC Sport: "The injury to Ollie Lawrence resulted in an reorganisation of the backline but I thought the players managed that really well. It looks like he injured his Achilles but we don't know to what extent.

"The way the team accelerated the scoreline was really good. This Italian side is really well coached and their battle at the breakdown is fierce. When we got quick ball and the contact area right, we took our opportunities.

"The team is progressing and developing. It is a young side and it adapted really well."

England hooker Jamie George, whose mum Jane died in February 2024, spoke to BBC Sport about winning his 100th cap: "The whole week has been a little bit overwhelming. I am very thankful to everyone who has made it very special.

"My mum is on my mind all the time. She would have loved being here and will be looking down very proud today. It is an emotional day. I am super happy with the people who are here but do miss the one who isn't.

"After missing the Ireland game I was just desperate to be out there, it reminded me how much I love playing for this team. I've had three amazing games.

"How can you not love it when Allianz Stadium is like this?"

Italy captain Michele Lamaro: "When you show good things you have to do it repeatedly and our problem is that we are lacking a bit of that.

"You have to be consistent for the whole 80 minutes and that's the most important thing for us. We showed some pretty good things, especially in attack, but our mistakes put us under pressure.

"We need to work on that, and we have been saying it a lot, but we need to stay together because we have another massive week."

Sleightholme has six tries in eight England appearances

Line-ups

England: Daly, Freeman, Lawrence, Dingwall, Sleightholme; F Smith, Mitchell; Genge, George, Stuart, Itoje (capt), Chessum, T Curry, Earl, T Willis.

Replacements: Cowan-Dickie, Baxter, Heyes, T Hill, Cunningham-South, B Curry, Van Poortvliet, M Smith

Italy: Capuozzo, Ioane, Brex, Menoncello, Gallagher; P Garbisi, Varney; Fischetti, Nicotera, Riccioni, N Cannone, Ruzza, Negri, Lamaro (capt) Vintcent

Replacements: Lucchesi, Spagnolo, Ferrari, Favretto, Zuliani, L Cannone, Page-Relo, Allan

Referee: Andrew Brace (Ireland)