Italy stun England 23-18 in Rome in historic Six Nations first

Italy defeated England 23-18 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome on March 7, 2026, recording the first time Italy has beaten England in the Six Nations since joining the competition. Tries from Tommaso Menoncello and Leonardo Marin, combined with accurate kicking by Paolo Garbisi, supplied the points that overturned an eight-point deficit and provoked wild celebrations in front of a partisan crowd.

England had led 18-10 in the second half, but discipline collapsed at a decisive moment. Sam Underhill was shown a yellow card in the 54th minute for a high hit on Northampton's Danilo Fischetti. Nine minutes later England captain Maro Itoje received a yellow card for slapping the ball out of Italy scrum-half Alessandro Garbisi's hands. Those two cards opened a key 20-minute period that Italy exploited to turn the game in their favour.

The sin-binnings allowed Italy space and momentum in midfield and on the scoreboard. Paolo Garbisi, credited with accurate kicking, kept Italy on the front foot and ensured they converted possession into points rather than territory. The victory confirmed a wider turnaround for Italy in this edition of the championship: the team, once accustomed to finishing last, are now celebrating results they have long sought.

England captain Maro Itoje, speaking to BBC Sport after the match, confronted the mood in the camp. "We just have to stay together. We are going through a tough period, and when you are in a period like this, you see the characters of the team. We don't want to be in this position, and we are very disappointed that we are. We haven't performed to the level we wanted to, so we have to work and own it. There's nothing else to do other than get back to work." On the problems across recent games he added, "It's different things in different games, and we have to look at that. If we had the answer, we wouldn’t be in this position. I can promise the fans that we are going to fight."

The result not only hands Italy a landmark win, it deepens the questions over England's campaign. England now head to Paris to face France in the final round on March 14, attempting to avoid the possibility of finishing the tournament with just one victory, an outcome that would mark a stark fall for a side long accustomed to competing for titles.

For Italy, the win offers concrete evidence that a mindset shift is under way. As BBC commentary put it, "It is a very tough process because you have to change the mindset. We are used to being last and the underdog, but at the same time, we are building trust in each other, and that is what matters the most." That building of trust translated into decisive moments in Rome, and it leaves Italy with not just a historic result but a genuine chance to finish the Six Nations campaign on a high.

The day produced other drama across the championship, underlining how volatile this edition has become. Italy's victory is unlikely to be viewed as an anomaly: it is the clearest sign yet that the balance of the northern hemisphere game can still shift in a single, pivotal 20-minute spell.