Italy defeated England 23-18 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on 1 March 2026, a result that deepened England’s Six Nations crisis and confirmed Italy’s remarkable transformation into genuine contenders in the championship. The Azzurri held off a late English rally to claim a famous victory in front of a raucous home crowd.

Kick-off was at 15:10 CET (Rome time), which was 14:10 GMT (London time), 09:10 EST, and 06:10 PST. The early afternoon start in the Italian capital brought warm late-winter sunshine and a Stadio Olimpico crowd of over 65,000 that sensed history from the first minute. Italy had already beaten Wales earlier in the tournament and arrived in Round 4 with growing belief, while England limped into Rome having lost to both France and Ireland in their previous outings. The contrast in confidence was visible from the start.

Ange Capuozzo was sensational at full-back, ghosting through England’s defensive line twice in the first half with footwork that left defenders grasping at air. His first try, finished in the corner after a 50-metre counter-attack, set the tone for an afternoon of Italian flair. Captain Michele Lamaro led from the front in the back row, making 18 tackles and carrying with relentless energy that kept Italy on the front foot in the physical exchanges. Paolo Garbisi controlled the game at fly-half with a composed display, landing three penalties and a conversion to keep the scoreboard ticking. The Italian pack, once the soft underbelly of the team, scrummaged with ferocity and won crucial turnovers at the breakdown that disrupted England’s attempts to build phases.

England’s frustrations were evident throughout. Marcus Smith tried to spark something creative from fly-half but was rushed behind a pack that could not secure clean ball. Maro Itoje carried manfully and was England’s best performer, but he lacked support in the tight exchanges. Freddie Steward was solid under the high ball at full-back, but his team rarely gave him opportunities in open play. England managed two tries through their forwards, both from driving mauls close to the Italian line, and Smith added a penalty and two conversions. A late surge brought them within five points at 23-18 with eight minutes remaining, and for a nervous spell Italy were forced to defend desperately on their own line.

But the Azzurri held firm. Lamaro won a critical turnover penalty with three minutes left, and Garbisi kicked the ball into the stands to trigger wild celebrations. For Italy, this was further proof that their wooden spoon days are fading into memory. For England, it was another painful afternoon in a tournament that had gone badly wrong. The result left Steve Borthwick’s side with just one win from four matches and serious questions about their direction heading into the final round.