England were made to work to avoid their first-ever defeat to Italy in the opening match of the 2024 Six Nations. The Italians have been serial whipping boys of the Six Nations over the years, picking up the unwanted wooden spoon 18 times since the turn of the century. But they had renewed optimism heading into the 2024 Six Nations with a home clash against Steve Borthwick’s side. England are in a transitional period under Borthwick with long-time captain Owen Farrell stepping down from international duty after the World Cup. A host of key players have also become ineligible to play for Englan…
