England can virtually seal Six Nations title with another big win over Italy at Twickenham

LONDON - The Grand Slam must wait until next weekend, but England can virtually seal the Six Nations title with a game to spare if the unbeaten tournament leader keeps up its utter dominance of Italy.

The English have won all 18 matches against the Azzurri, averaging more than 40 points a game and a winning margin of nearly 35 points in their six previous Six Nations meetings at Twickenham.

With England's points difference already 17 better than second-place Wales, another big victory over Italy could leave the Welsh having too much to do when they host their old rivals in Cardiff next week. Wales still has to beat Scotland on Saturday, too.

"Scoring a lot of points doesn't matter, we just want to win," England winger Mike Brown said.

Both should come on Sunday, though.

After heavy defeats to Scotland and Wales, Italy's shock win over France on the opening weekend suddenly seems a long time ago. The return of captain and No. 8 Sergio Parisse from suspension is unlikely to stop the England juggernaut rolling on.

"We had a good start to the tournament, then we were a little disappointed at how the next two matches went," Italy coach Jacques Brunel said.

"If we're not at (England's) level physically, if we don't have the desire to battle, then we can expect a very difficult afternoon."

Such is England's strength in depth at present that coach Stuart Lancaster has made five changes to his starting team but still not ostensibly weakened his lineup.

Tonga-born prop Mako Vunipola will make his first start for England after seven impressive appearances off the bench during the November tests and opening matches of the Six Nations.

Toby Flood and Danny Care come in as the halves in place of the injured Owen Farrell and the rested Ben Youngs, whose brother Tom Youngs ousted Dylan Hartley at hooker. James Haskell reclaims the No. 6 shirt from Courtney Lawes.

Lancaster has also been boosted by the return to fitness of flanker Tom Croft, who is set to make his first international appearance since sustaining a potentially career-threatening neck injury in a club game 11 months ago. Croft could yet make a late run for a spot in the British and Irish Lions squad to tour Australia in June and July.

"I don't look at the bookie's odds because they are irrelevant. What is relevant is what mindset you turn up in," Lancaster said on Friday. "I am always looking through the course of any week, asking, 'Are we ready, are we too anxious, are we in the right place?'

"We are in a good place going into the game. Those players who are not involved are still 100 per cent behind the team. That is the making of a good team."

Provided the English gain parity at the scrum, which has arguably been their main failing this tournament, it should be no contest out wide.

"At some point, and hopefully this weekend, I think there is going to be an 80-minute set-piece with everyone doing what needs to be done," said England prop Dan Cole, who will come up against Leicester clubmate Martin Castrogiovanni in the front row.

"Italy pride themselves on their set-piece and they'll come to Twickenham wanting to hurt us there. We've got to be ready for that and better than them."

Farrell has been one of England's key players in this tournament because of his goalkicking and organizational skills in defence, but he has been nursing a thigh problem since coming off with the injury in the second half of the 23-13 win over France on Feb. 24. He is kicking at only 80 per cent, according to Lancaster.

While it is likely to be a brief stay in the No. 10 shirt for Flood, Care will hope a strong performance against the Azzurri allows him to stay at scrumhalf ahead of Youngs for the likely title-defining match against Wales.

Parisse is back after his suspension for insulting a referee in a French league match for Stade Francais was reduced to 20 days on appeal.

His return is one of five changes to the pack, with loosehead prop Andrea Lo Cicero — who tied Italy's caps record against Wales — dropped to the bench in favour of Alberto De Marchi.

Australia-born Joshua Furno and South Africa-born Quintin Geldenhuys make up a new lock formation, and experienced flanker Robert Barbieri returns from injury for his first test since the autumn series.

Luciano Orquera was back at flyhalf, and Gonzalo Garcia makes his first start since the World Cup at No. 12, pushing Gonzalo Canale to outside centre.

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Lineups:

England: Alex Goode, Chris Ashton, Manu Tuilagi, Brad Barritt, Mike Brown, Toby Flood, Danny Care; Chris Robshaw (captain), Tom Wood, James Haskell, Geoff Parling, Joe Launchbury, Dan Cole, Tom Youngs, Mako Vunipola. Reserves: Dylan Hartley, David Wilson, Joe Marler, Courtney Lawes, Tom Croft, Ben Youngs, Freddie Burns, Billy Twelvetrees.

Italy: Andrea Masi, Giovanbattista Venditti, Gonzalo Canale, Gonzalo Garcia, Luke McLean, Luciano Orquera, Edoardo Gori; Sergio Parisse (captain), Robert Barbieri, Alessandro Zanni, Joshua Furno, Quintin Geldenhuys, Martin Castrogiovanni, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Alberto De Marchi. Reserves: Davide Giazzon, Andrea Lo Cicero, Lorenzo Cittadini, Antonio Pavanello, Francesco Minto, Simone Favaro, Tobias Botes, Tommaso Benvenuti.