The Albany Gazette - England maintain Six Nations title hopes with Italy win

After France knocked reigning champions Ireland off the top of the table with a 42-27 victory in Dublin on Saturday, England needed a bonus-point success to go second before their March 15 clash with struggling Wales in Cardiff.

England will still require Scotland to do them a favour against France in Paris, but they now have an outside chance of being crowned Six Nations champions for the first time since 2020.

England ended an open first half where they outscored Italy three tries to two narrowly ahead at 21-17 after Tom Willis, Tommy Freeman and Ollie Sleightholme all crossed the Azzurri line.

But against an Italy defence that had conceded 11 tries -- the most by one side in a Six Nations match -- during a 73-24 thrashing by France in Rome last time out, they ran in four more after the break.

Marcus Smith secured the four-try bonus point before flanker Tom Curry went over and Sleightholme completed a double, with Earl crossing with the final act of the game.

Fin Smith landed six out of seven conversions, his only miss coming following Earl's score when England had long since won the game.

Defeat exended Italy's woeful record against England, with the Azzurri now having lost all of their 32 Tests aganst the Red Rose brigade.

Marcus Smith had started the tournament as England's fly-half in their opening defeat by Ireland before coach Steve Borthwick moved him to full-back, with Fin Smith taking over at No 10.

But on Sunday, Marcus Smith was on the bench only to come on in the ninth minute when centre Ollie Lawrence went off injured after catching his foot awkwardly in the turf.

it took England just three minutes to open the scoring when, following a break by Freeman, No 8 Willis stretched over the line.

But as England regrouped following Lawrence's injury, it was Italy who scored next.

Paolo Garbisi chipped the ball over a couple of England defenders for Juan Ignacio Brex to collect.

Monty Ioane produced anoher chip over the cover, with onrushing full-back Ange Capuozzo regathering cleanly on the bounce for a 13th-minute try that fly-half Garbisi converted to tie things up at 7-7.

But after Garbisi missed a simple penalty, a superbly weighted grubber kick from Elliot Daly, who moved to midfield from full-back following Lawrence's injury, allowed the sprinting Freeman to score a try.

But Italy hit back just four minutes later.

They moved the ball quickly off the top of a line-out, with Capuozzo gliding through the England defence before finding Ross Vintcent, with the No 8 outsprinting the cover for a converted try.

England, with lock Ollie Chessum impressing up front, however, had their third try when, after scrum-half Alex Mitchell's quick tap penalty, Marcus Smith's long cut-out pass sent wing Sleightholme in at the corner.

Fin Smith, one of five Northampton backs in the starting side along with Mitchell, Freeman, Sleightholme and recalled centre Fraser Dingwal, maintained his 100 percent record from the kicking tee and England were 21-14 ahead.

But Italy turned round just four points behind at the break following a successful Garbisi penalty.

The second half was just three minutes old though when Curry found fans' favourite Marcus Smith, with the Harlequins stand-off stepping his way forward before surging clear.

Curry then turned finisher in the 49th minute when the Sale flanker powered over for England's fifth try.

And three minutes later, a now rampant England led 42-17 when hooker and former captain Jamie George, winning his 100th England cap on Sunday, found Sleightholme, who spun his way out of a tackle before scoring his second try of the match.

Tommaso Menoncello reduced Italy's deficit with a try 10 minutes from time, but that was little consolation for an Azzurri side who finish the Six Nations at home to an Ireland side desperate to atone for their defeat by France.

(B.Ramirez--TAG)