Italy vs England prediction: Six Nations 2022 Week Two

Sunday of week two of the Six Nations 2022 will see Italy hosting England at the Stadio Olimpico. Italian rugby fans will be full of their usual vigour, going into the game, but will their spirit be anywhere near enough to take on a comparitively omnipotent England? After all, they may have beaten all of the other teams in the Six Nations on at least one occasion, but they have still yet to take down the English rose. I doubt any serious pundit has this game down for anything other than a total wipeout for Italy, but let's have a look at what likely lies in store for rugby fans in Rome.

Background

Italy have failed to win a match in the Six Nations, or win any match at all for that matter, since they scraped a 22-19 victory against Scotland in 2015. That currently puts them on a 30-match losing streak, which doesn't bode well for them, going into a match against a team remarkably stronger than them. What's worse for gli Azzurri is that the England rugby team are currently on one of their best highs in years, having managed to thwart South Africa in the Autumn Internationals 2021. This spells trouble - the kind that burns a 30-50 point difference on the scoreboard.

The Advantage of Playing at Home

If there's one thing that fans of Italy can be thankful for, it's that their team are playing at home. Rome is a beautiful city, and one that is still cherished for rugby, despite Italy being a country primarily driven by its love of football. If nothing else, the fans should make it a heart-warming atmosphere for the match, to give the team a slight boost. Ultimately though, I think there will still be a few sighs of disappointment around the Stadio Olimpico, whilst resounding choruses of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot each across the far reaches of the seven hills.

A Look at the Best of the Italy vs England Squads

Everything in the Italian's power will be chucked full force at the travelling England side. From untested youth to veterans of the Rugby World Cup, England will still have to put out a half-decent side, to make sure complacency doesn't work its way into the Home Nation's ranks. Here is a look at some of the key players for both sides that will be looking to flex their muscles in this match.

The Best of the Italy Rugby Squad

Michele Lamaro

The captain, Michele Lamaro, may seem a strange choice to lead the Italians, given his youth of 23 years. What he lacks in age, however, he certainly makes up for in talent and his ability to motivate his teammates. He brings a fresh and creative attacking style of play to the Italian game, so it will be interesting to see how many points the home side can stick on the board, even with the thumping score difference I am predicting.

Edoardo Padovani

Padovani is a player with top-class experience in both France and Italy, so he knows the pressure of big matches. With experience in the 2019 Rugby World Cup to boot, he should be ready to weather the key challenges he will be presented with, especially in the air and defensively.

Sebastian Negri

Another Italian player for Benetton, Negri brings a wealth of experience with him, having played for the U20s team and the senior side in the 2019 Rugby World Cup. He will need to bring his A-game when charging at a tough English defensive line, but he is the sort of player that will punish even the most minor of errors by the opposition.

The Best of the England Rugby Squad

Courtney Lawes

Courtney Lawes is one of those types of people that if he were any more laid back, he'd be lying down. Nevertheless, he has found himself filling in for Owen Farrell as captain, and the team has had resounding success with him in charge on the field. As a veteran of the game too, I'm sure he will be looking to continue England's good run and make every cap on his way to the century worth every minute he plays.

Ellis Genge

Genge is a well-known name in English rugby, and for good reasons. As captain for Leicester Tigers and an England rugby veteran, he is a powerhouse forward with mighty ball-carrying skills and a champion work-rate.

Marcus Smith

A fresher face than most in the team, Marcus Smith is flair incarnate. He may be only 22 years old, but he brings a commanding presence to the pitch, as an old head on young shoulders. With captain Owen Farrell out with injury, there is only George Ford as competition for the number 10 shirt, so this could be Smith's tournament to shine.

Italy vs England Winner: The Fall of Rome

England are going to win. It's obvious. Move on.

No, it would be unfair of me to leave things on such an oversimplistic note, but it is going to take something of a miracle for Italy to pull off what has so far been impossible. Maybe England will play down to Italy; maybe Italy's support will be enough to fire up their side; maybe Italian pride will swell with such force that they will play the perfect game - the same sort of beautiful game that England summoned in their 2019 Rugby World Cup semi-final against New Zealand. Maybe a lot of things could happen. Ask me what the 99.99%-case is, however, and you already know the answer: England to win by a country mile.