- England kickstart their Six Nations campaign when they face Italy on Saturday
- Steve Borthwick will be hoping to retain his side’s undefeated record vs Azzurri
The Six Nations is upon us and England are looking to secure their first title since 2020.
Since that victory the tournament hasn’t been kind to England, but there’s a cautious optimism despite a selection revamp forced by a slew of injuries to regular starters.
The opening fixture has become a tricky one in recent years, with England having suffered four losses on the bounce with three of those coming against Scotland and one against France.
In Saturday’s clash however, Steve Borthwick‘s side have a golden opportunity to get their campaign off to the perfect start in Rome before looking to build on their success throughout the tournament.
Here, Mail Sport names four England stars to keep an eye on at the Stadio Olimpico.
England will be hoping to get their Six Nations campaign off to a perfect start in Rome on Saturday
Fraser Dingwall
The Northampton centre has earned his debut with fine form for the Premiership leaders, but Ollie Lawrence and Manu Tuilagi are on the mend, and will be vying for his place.
Will Stuart
The tighthead prop place is up for grabs, as Kyle Sinckler’s era of pre-eminence is over and Dan Cole is now 36, so the younger Bath man can stake a long-term claim.
Will Stuart and Fraser Dingwall are among the players to keep an eye out for as England take on the Azzurri
George Ford
Sale’s veteran fly-half was outstanding at the start of the World Cup, but he has had to overcome recent knee trouble to play and Fin Smith is being lauded as the coming man at 10.
