Six Nations 2026: England team v Italy set to have sweeping changes

Head coach Steve Borthwick is set to make sweeping changes to his backline as he attempts to revive England’s Six Nations campaign in Italy on Saturday.

Two injuries and one positional change could mean not one position in the backline is filled by the same player as it was in the last game against Ireland.

Northampton’s Fin Smith is in line to start at fly-half in place of George Ford while Gloucester’s Seb Atkinson is poised to be England’s inside centre in Rome.

With outside centre Ollie Lawrence ruled out with a knee problem, Tommy Freeman is likely to move in from the wing and resume his midfield role.

That means Tom Roebuck is set to return to the starting line-up to fill in for Freeman, with Cadan Murley tipped for a start on the other wing in place of Henry Arundell.

George Furbank was expected to come in at full-back, but instead Marcus Smith and Elliot Daly are thought to be in the running to supplant Freddie Steward.

The Leicester full-back was replaced at the end of the first half as England fell behind en route to an eventual 42-21 defeat by Ireland.

With Alex Mitchell injured, Ben Spencer is understood to be the starting scrum-half.

England centurion Danny Care says utility back Daly’s experience could be vital in a high-pressure game.

“He’s got a big left boot,” Care told Rugby Union Weekly of Daly, who has won 74 caps for England and toured three times with the British and Irish Lions.

“He’s got a great aerial game as well. He’s absolutely been there and done it before in the biggest of Test matches.”