One day Italy will beat England at rugby union. Admittedly it has been more than a decade since the Azzurri finished within a score of their opponents but, as Steve Borthwick knows from experience, the possibility can never be entirely discounted. When he captained England at the old Stadio Flaminio in 2008 and 2010, the margins were a stuttering four and five points respectively.
All connected with the current England squad, however, are focused on looking ahead rather than backwards. The World Cup is gone, the last few Six Nations championships are underwhelming history and there is a subtly different feel in the clear, bright Roman air. Could it even be that England will finally look to play more proactive rugby and let the handbrake off the go-faster chariot?
