England vs Italy Prediction: George’s big day to headline Twickenham grind

It might be too early to suggest that Twickenham is becoming a fortress but a win for England against Italy on Sunday will give them a clean sweep of home victories in this year's Six Nations.

Read on for my England vs Italy prediction, as well as the latest team news and match odds.

Rugby Union Odds

Nervy one-point successes over France (26-25) and Scotland (16-15) have left the Red Rose in with a chance of winning the Championship ahead of next weekend's Super Saturday trip to Wales.

Steve Borthwick's side beat Italy 27-24 last year to maintain their 100% record against the Azzurri and should overcome a team who, after losing to Scotland (31-19) and beating Wales (22-15), was on the wrong end of a walloping in round three.

The 73-24 defeat to France featured the most tries in Six Nations history (14) but there was little for Italy to celebrate as Les Bleus ran riot in Rome.

Gonzalo Quesada will have sent his players away to decompress but this week will have been about making amends.

Potential backlash pending, the Italians might go closer than expected.

Team News

Marcus Smith has dropped out of England's XV, with Elliot Daly taking over at full-back and Smith having to make do with a place on the bench, which features a six-two split.

Fraser Dingwall has also replaced Henry Slade at inside centre and is one of five Northampton players included among the backs.

England will also be aiming to make it a big afternoon for hooker Jamie George, who returns to the starting side on the occasion of his 100th cap.

For Italy, Ange Capuozzo moves from the wing to his favoured full-back role as part of a new-look back three alongside Matt Gallagher and Monty Ioane, while Stephen Varney comes in at scrum-half.

Ross Vintcent is selected at number eight and there are also wholesale changes in the front row, with Giacomo Nicotera and Marco Riccioni joining Danilo Fischetti, who lasted only the first quarter of the defeat to France before succumbing to injury.

England vs Italy Odds

England are the massive 1/50 favourites to make it 26 Six Nations wins from as many fixtures against Italy.

The Azzurri are 12/1 to record a first-ever victory at Twickenham and the tie is 28/1.

Italy +18 @ 13/10

Italy are bound to respond after their heavy defeat to France and will look to frustrate the Red Rose, as they did last year in Rome.

Quesada has picked an exciting back three and a powerful front row, and the Azzurri pack could gain parity.

England's changes suggest they might look to run the ball more. The all-Northampton 9-10-12 axis of Alex Mitchell, Fin Smith, and Dingwall will likely fall back on familiar moves from their day jobs, meaning club colleagues Tommy Freeman and Ollie Sleightholme may see more of the ball out wide.

Results have improved for England but their performances remain stodgy and a grinding game will help the Azzurri keep it close.

Jamie George anytime try scorer @ 1/1

A poor performance will provoke boos from the Twickenham crowd but one thing guaranteed to generate cheers is a try for Jamie George.

The popular 34-year-old admitted that he considered retiring from international rugby after the captaincy was taken away from him before this tournament but he resisted the urge and will become the seventh England men's player to be made a centurion.

Although the hooking role may have changed since his first cap in 2015, he remains tough to stop from close range and seems suited to carrying the ball at the back of the maul.

With four of his 15 England scores coming against Italy, it feels written that he will mark his special day in style.

Offers

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