England have struggled this decade away from home in the Six Nations, winning just four times.

Mike Henson
BBC Sport at Stadio Olimpico

England have indeed brought Sam Underhill in at open-side flanker to replace the injured Tom Curry, with Chandler Cunningham-South air-dropped onto the bench in Underhill's place.

Underhill and Pepper is a flanker combination that can chop down a lot of heavy lumber, but with Italy so sharp on the ground so far in the tournament, can they slow up and steal enough ball against the excellent Manuel Zuliani, Michele Lamaro and Lorenzo Cannone?

We are about to find out....

That switch has now been confirmed.

Chandler Cunningham-South would not have been expecting to play this morning.

How big a loss will Tom Curry be?

Sam Underhill has been spotted warming up in the starting back row, with Chandler Cunningham-South the travelling reserve, who will likely come onto the bench.

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Chris Ashton
Former England wing on BBC Rugby Union Weekly

I like the balance to the backline.

It is similar to what England had when they won the series in Argentina in the summer, with Seb Atkinson at inside centre and Tom Roebuck on the wing. Both of them did really well and they have a nice synergy together.

Elliot Daly brings experience at the back, something that is probably lacking from the rest of the backline, and Cadan Murley, he has other aspects to his game, but he is just speed on the wing.

They haven't played together though and that is a concern against a strong, confident Italy. You can't prepare them for that.

Lads who might train a certain way might not be able to transfer that into the game, when pressure, fatigue or being in a Test arena makes you think and play differently compared to being in training, with no-one around and opposition not to the same level.

Mike Henson
BBC Sport at Stadio Olimpico

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Fin Smith has been peppering the sticks with place kicks from the 10m line, hitting it clean and true.

Having been drafted into the team in place of George Ford, he takes on duties off the tee as well.

However, Elliot Daly's siege-gun left boot has also been given a few looseners. Daly's booming efforts clear the assistant coach back-stop behind the posts and the advertising hoardings.

Ford, by the way, is on the pitch, helping both men go through their preparations.

Oh no!

Tom Curry has limped off the pitch and it does not look good.

I'd expect a change after what looks to be an injury in the warm-up.

Defeat for England in Rome against Italy on Saturday, without picking up any points, would leave Steve Borthwick's side in danger of finishing bottom of the Six Nations for the first time.

Back-to-back defeats without picking up any points will leave England on five points, with Wales able to finish above Borthwick's side by winning one of their remaining games with a bonus point because of their hefty negative points difference - or picking up a losing bonus point and a win.

Mike Henson
BBC Sport at Stadio Olimpico

Image source, Getty Images

Whether by deliberate architectural design or not, the players' entrance to the Stadio Olimpico leans into those easy gladitorial allegories.

The team coaches go down a tunnel and pull up outside an underground side door.

From there the teams march down long corridors of the stadium to find their dressing room, with a television camera buzzing around about three feet from their faces to catch every tic and bead of sweat.

England captain Maro Itoje is stony-faced, while centre Seb Atkinson, making his first appearance in the Six Nations seems to be sporting a shiner from a hard week of training.

Italy's team have a gauntlet of high-fiving young Italian rugby players to pass through. On the walls are moments of Italian sporting history from this stadium. Monty Ioane takes a good look at football star Toto Schillaci, who scored four goals in Rome during the Azzurri's 1990 World Cup run.

England have shredded their backline and made a total of 12 changes - nine personnel switches and three positional shifts - to their starting line-up to face Italy.

Fin Smith starts at fly-half, while Gloucester centre Seb Atkinson comes in at 12 for his third cap, and George Ford and Fraser Dingwall - crucial parts of England's all-conquering autumn campaign - are both left out of the matchday squad entirely.

Henry Arundell also loses his place, with Harlequins' Cadan Murley and Sale's Tom Roebuck preferred on the wing, while Elliot Daly comes in for full-back Freddie Steward.

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Scotland's epic win over France makes things interesting at the top.

England Rugby

England head coach Steve Borthwick, speaking to BBC Rugby Union Weekly: "We've been disappointed with aspects of the performance over the last two games after setting such a high bar for so long.

"The last couple of weeks have not been at that same standard. We set very, very high standards for ourselves and we are really disappointed by that.

"At the same point in time, you draw a line under it and say, 'right, let's look very firmly ahead to the next game'."

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Scotland's incredible 50-40 win over France in Edinburgh denied Les Bleus, who are still top of the table, a Grand Slam.

What a start to the weekend. More drama to come?

Reaction here.

Italy produced plenty of fight but faded in the second half as France secured a bonus-point win in Lille.

Gonzalo Quesada's side beat Scotland in the opening round and then ran Ireland close.

They are far from a gimme nowadays.

Last time out, Ireland produced a record 42–21 away win over England at Allianz Stadium.

One-off results can happen, but Steve Borthwick's side came into that fixture off the back of a 31–20 loss to Scotland.

No wins since the opening round does not make good reading.

England need a win against Italy in their penultimate Six Nations game.

Back-to-back defeats have piled the pressure on Steve Borthwick's side.

Despite only one win, Italy have impressed this campaign and will be eyeing an upset in Rome.

Image source, Getty Images