Italy and England are level on points in the Six Nations standings with two rounds remaining. England have already used up their match against Wales. This makes Saturday’s fixture in Rome particularly significant, especially for those focused on the lower half of the table—a familiar position even for England.
England began the championship ranked third in the world, just behind New Zealand, and were riding high after 11 consecutive Test wins. That streak extended to 12 with a victory over Wales, but then things took a turn for the worse.
Now, England risk repeating their recent championship finishes of fifth in 2018 and 2021, and fourth in 2023. If they lose in Rome on Saturday and Italy—buoyed by a second win—stumble in Cardiff on the final weekend, England could finish last in the Six Nations for the first time. That would be quite a fall.
Italy, however, have bigger ambitions. Their best Six Nations finish is fourth (in 2007 and 2013), but based on their performances in the first three rounds—where they could easily have earned more than five points—they now look capable of breaking into the top half for the first time.
England are one of only two teams Italy have never beaten. The question of whether Italy might finally win this fixture feels like the long-standing debate over whether they can ever move beyond their usual fifth- or last-place finishes (which have happened 24 times in 26 tournaments).
Despite moments of optimism over the past 25 years, Italy have never been far from a heavy defeat when facing a top-tier team at its best. Even during their strong period leading up to the 2007 World Cup, they suffered a 70-point loss to New Zealand. More recently, at the last World Cup, they endured crushing defeats to New Zealand and France.
Italy have often been a “difficult team to beat” when playing well against underperforming opponents, but they have yet to solve their vulnerability against elite teams in top form.
So, is this a new era for Italian rugby? When experts discuss why Italy have struggled to build on their Six Nations inclusion, governance issues often come up. The tension between traditional administrators and modern professional approaches is common in rugby, but Italy has been especially hampered by outdated amateur mindsets.
Signs of change can be seen in the under-20 results. After years of struggling, Italy’s under-20 team has improved since 2017, even finishing third in 2023. The senior team hasn’t reached those heights yet, but once again, we find ourselves wondering if this could be their moment.This could be Italy’s moment to finally climb out of the lower reaches of the table. The promise shown by their junior teams in recent years is now coming to fruition at the senior level. While Italy still can’t claim a roster of world-class stars like some of the traditional powers (who, frankly, should have won more with their talent), the key difference now is that their best players are young—and they’re making a real impact.
Leading the charge is Tommaso Menoncello, still only 23 and already a Player of the Championship winner (in 2024, when he was just 21). The rest of the squad shares a similar profile: young, eager to learn, tough as nails, and unafraid to attack from anywhere on the pitch.
But it’s at scrum time where Italy can genuinely stake a claim to dominance. They completely dismantled Scotland and Ireland in that area in the first two rounds, and Scotland struggled at the lineout as well. Even against France, Italy held a clear advantage.
That they lost games two and three the way they did feels a bit harsh. They pushed Ireland to the absolute limit—no one could have complained if they’d won. And against France, the victory came down once again to French intuition and pace, because for long stretches, Italy were winning the physical battle.
If there’s one area where England have remained strong, it’s the scrum. Purists will relish that clash on Saturday. But there’s much more at play in this latest episode of rugby’s great soap opera. England’s confidence looks shattered. If there were one fixture they might target for a reset, it would be against a team they’ve never lost to. But that streak will end eventually. Italy will believe that a spring day in Rome is as good an opportunity as any to make it happen.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the topic suggested by the title The Breakdown Once more we find ourselves asking if this is Italys momentbecause Englands selfbelief seems shattered
General Beginner Questions
Q1 What is The Breakdown being referred to here
A Its likely a sports analysis column podcast or video series probably focused on rugby or football that dissects team performances and major tournaments
Q2 What does Italys moment mean
A It suggests that Italy is being seen as a team on the rise potentially poised to win a major championship or achieve a historic victory after a period of rebuilding
Q3 Why does Englands selfbelief seem shattered
A This implies the English team has recently suffered a series of disappointing losses poor performances or internal issues that have severely damaged the players confidence and mental strength
Q4 Is this article about football or rugby
A Given the common phrasing Italys moment in recent sports journalism this is almost certainly about rugby union specifically the Six Nations Championship Italy has shown major improvement while England has been inconsistent
Advanced Analytical Questions
Q5 What specific recent results or performances led to this analysis
A It likely references Italys strong competitive performances in the recent Six Nations contrasted with Englands strugglesuninspired wins tactical confusion and heavy defeats to top rivals like Scotland Ireland and France
Q6 Beyond results what are the deeper reasons for Englands shattered selfbelief
A Factors could include frequent changes in coaching staff and playing philosophy a lack of a settled game plan pressure from media and fans leadership questions and the mental burden of past failures against toptier teams
Q7 What has changed for Italy to make this their moment
A Key changes include a golden generation of talented young players improved coaching and structure under Kieran Crowley a more adventurous and confident playing style and consistent selection which has built team cohesion
