Seven-try England maintain Six Nations title hopes with emphatic win over Italy

It now feels like France’s Six Nations to lose but England remain at least mathematically in the title equation. Seven tries on a beautiful Sunday afternoon ensured a comfortable home win over an out-gunned Italian side and another bonus-point victory against Wales in Cardiff might yet increase the pressure slightly on Les Bleus when they face Scotland in Paris later the same day.

England will also be reasonably pleased with their performance having suffered significant early disruption to their plans. The loss of a hamstrung Ollie Lawrence after just eight minutes could have thrown them off balance tactically but a composed performance from fly-half Fin Smith and some sharp finishing, not least from Ollie Sleightholme, who scored a brace of tries, ultimately left the visitors chasing shadows.

It was also a decent day for man of the match Ollie Chessum and Marcus Smith, propelled into the fray early on following Lawrence’s abrupt departure. This has been an up-and-down season for the Harlequins playmaker but this was a fruitful outing, yielding a nice try and a healthy all-round contribution. Fin Smith’s grip on the No 10 jersey tightens by the week but a basking audience also enjoyed England’s more positive intent after their self-confessed ‘ugly’ win over Scotland.

The weather could hardly have been more different either. Gone was both the rain that flushed France away last month and the persistent chill of recent weeks. It was so warm you half expected Ben Stokes to lead out a zinc-creamed England cricket side rather than Jamie George on the occasion of his 100^th England cap.

Never let it be said the Six Nations takes place in controlled laboratory conditions. It felt as near as the old tournament has come to being staged in high summer and it made for an instantly free-flowing contest. One little fumble in contact by the Italian scrum-half Stephen Varney after just three minutes was all it took to spark a sweeping home counterattack which ended with a delighted Tom Willis stretching out to score 70 metres upfield.

The premature exit of Lawrence, though, did temporarily disrupt English rhythm, forcing Elliot Daly to outside centre and prompting an excited roar from the crowd at Marcus Smith’s early deployment at full-back. Italy took swift advantage of the reshuffle, Monty Ioane chipping the ball into plenty of space close to the English line and inviting Ange Capuozzo to complete a deft score.

Marcus Smith shows his delight after scoring England’s fourth try. Photograph: Dan Mullan/RFU/The RFU Collection/Getty Images

Had Paolo Garbisi not missed an eminently kickable penalty Italy would have been ahead and it was a relief for English supporters when a well-judged Daly grubber sat up perfectly for Tommy Freeman to score in the right corner. The Azzurri, though, were not in the least deflated and were back level again with half an hour gone.

Capuozzo is a smart player as well an elusive one and showed both qualities to leave George for dead in midfield and then find the supporting Ross Vintcent. The Exeter Chief is among the quickest back-row forwards in the Premiership and duly burned off the cover to complete a cracking try.

If only Italy were as impressive in defence as they are going forward. With advantage already being played England had plenty of time and space in which to swing the ball left and Sleightholme dived over in the corner for his first try of the game. A Garbisi penalty did narrow the half-time margin to four points but surely England would tighten the screw in the final 40 minutes?

Sure enough, they did so without delay, albeit after an early scare when Italy really should have scored in the left corner. Excellent footwork from Will Stuart and an offload from Tom Curry put Marcus Smith away for a scampering try and three minutes later Curry scored himself to take England clear on the scoreboard.

After that it was mostly academic. George put a swivelling Sleightholme over for another well-taken try, the wing’s sixth in just eighth Tests, and Fin Smith, yet again, drilled over the conversion as if it were the easiest thing in the world. Tommaso Menoncello grabbed a 70^th-minute consolation for the visitors but a last-gasp Ben Earl try ensured the Italian job – no cliffhanger this one – was comprehensively completed.