Italy claimed their first ever victory over England on Saturday, ending decades of hurt with a famous 23-18 win in the Six Nations championship. The Azzurri’s historic victory sent shockwaves through the rugby world and left England reeling. The five-point victory ended a sequence stretching back to 1992 and sent the Rome crowd into absolute raptures.
England, meanwhile, slumped to a third consecutive Six Nations defeat, leaving their campaign in complete disarray. Steve Borthwick’s side now face the daunting prospect of a final-round trip to Paris with their pride on the line. A wooden spoon finish is now a very real possibility if they fail in France next weekend.
Six Nations Upset
The match was a thrilling encounter, with Italy opening the scoring through Paolo Garbisi’s penalty before England responded with a sharp try for Tommy Freeman, engineered by Fin Smith and Alex Coles. Italy then struck back in the 34th minute as the brilliant Tommaso Menoncello sliced clean through the English defence from 45 metres out.
Smith’s perfectly weighted cross-field kick then found Tom Roebuck unmarked on the right wing just before half-time. England went into the break leading 12-10 but far from comfortable. The second half was a different story, with England’s discipline falling apart completely at the worst possible moment.
Discipline Costs England
Sam Underhill received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Danilo Fischetti, allowing Garbisi to land two successive penalties and narrow the gap to 18-16. Then, critically, captain Maro Itoje was sin-binned for cynically slapping the ball away from a maul. England were suddenly down to 13 men and Italy smelled blood immediately.
With Itoje still off the field, Italy crafted the try that made history. Monty Ioane made a powerful surge down the left before finding Menoncello, who crashed through Elliot Daly’s attempted tackle. Replacement Leonardo Marin then finished the move by diving over near the left touchline in the 71st minute.
The Stadio Olimpico erupted in scenes of pure joy as the significance of the moment sank in. England pushed desperately for a response but could not find a way through a determined Italian defence. The final whistle sparked wild celebrations, with the Italian players hugging each other in delight.
Here are the key takeaways from the match:
- Italy’s first ever victory over England in the Six Nations
- England’s third consecutive defeat in the championship
- Italy’s historic win sets up a thrilling final round of matches
For more information on the Six Nations championship, visit the official website. You can also follow the latest rugby news and updates on BBC Sport.
