Steve Borthwick has reacted to England’s Six Nations slump by completing a radical overhaul of his team to face Italy including the return of Fin Smith at fly-half as part of a whole new back line.
There are nine changes in personnel and a further three positional switches following the 42-21 rout by Ireland that removed England from title contention with two rounds remaining. It is the most changes ever made by England in the Six Nations era.
Smith will direct operations in his first start since the autumn at the expense of George Ford, who has been jettisoned from the matchday 23 entirely after under-performing against Andy Farrell’s men.
British and Irish Lions playmaker Smith marshals a back line that includes only one survivor from the Ireland mauling in Tommy Freeman, and even he has been relocated from wing to outside centre.
Seb Atkinson and Freeman form the centre partnership and there is an entirely new back three in wings Cadan Murley, Tom Roebuck and full-back Elliot Daly. Ben Spencer starts at scrum-half.
Borthwick’s hand is partly forced by injuries to Alex Mitchell and Ollie Lawrence, but by ripping up the remainder of his backline England’s head coach has rolled the dice for Saturday’s Stadio Olimpico showdown.
None of the units behind the scrum have previously played together.
There are three changes to the pack with hooker Jamie George, second row Alex Coles and flanker Guy Pepper promoted to the starting XV having filled the bench against Ireland.
The final two positional switches occur in the back row where Tom Curry moves to openside and Ben Earl to number eight with the hard working Saracens forward winning his 50th cap.
Henry Pollock has made way for Pepper’s elevation to the number six jersey and is joined among the replacements by Luke Cowan-Dickie, who survives the cull despite England’s line-out malfunction in round three.
Ollie Chessum also drops to the bench where Marcus Smith is present as a fly-half and full-back cover.
England have won all 32 previous encounters with Italy but Gonzalo Quesada’s men are the strongest team fielded by the Azzurri since they joined the Six Nations in 2000.
Back-to-back heavy defeats by Scotland and Ireland have heaped pressure on Borthwick, with a trip to Paris to face Grand Slam chasing France concluding another disappointing Six Nations.
“We’re expecting a big test in Rome and it’s one the players are really looking forward to,” Borthwick said.
“We know the challenge Italy will bring at the Stadio Olimpico and we’ve selected a team we believe will deliver the level of performance we’re striving for.”
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) March 3, 2026
England team to play Italy in Six Nations
Forwards: 1 Ellis Genge (Bristol Bears), 2 Jamie George (Saracens), 3 Joe Heyes (Leicester Tigers), 4 Maro Itoje (Captain, Saracens), 5 Alex Coles (Northampton Saints), 6 Guy Pepper (Bath Rugby), 7 Tom Curry (Sale Sharks), 8 Ben Earl (Saracens)
Backs: 9 Ben Spencer (Bath Rugby), 10 Fin Smith (Northampton Saints), 11 Cadan Murley (Harlequins), 12 Seb Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby), 13 Tommy Freeman (Northampton Saints), 14 Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks), 15 Elliot Daly (Saracens)
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Sale Sharks), 17 Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks), 18 Trevor Davison (Northampton Saints), 19 Ollie Chessum (Leicester Tigers), 20 Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby), 21 Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints), 22 Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers), 23 Marcus Smith (Harlequins)