England caught between a ruck and a hard place

This Six Nations championship had already provided some engaging contests but, with six fixtures remaining, none is likely to divide opinion more than that rather bizarre game in Twickenham last Sunday.

Italy arrived determined not to be the whipping boys once again as England continued their relentless march for glory and a place in rugby’s history books.

Rarely has a team chasing immortality — with another three wins required to mark them out as the only side to win 19 test matches in a row — looked as rattled and vulnerable against a side coach Eddie Jones had demanded should be “taken to the cleaners”.