The defeat is historic, the crisis very real, but the head coach stays in place. Beaten in Rome on Saturday by Italy (23-18), England suffered an unprecedented Six Nations reverse against the Squadra Azzurra, who had never got the better of them since their first meetings.

The humiliation immediately revived criticism of head coach Steve Borthwick, whose team keeps stringing together disappointing results in the competition. After an opening win over Wales, England then went on to lose three in a row, sliding down the table and fuelling doubts about their sporting direction.

Despite the mounting pressure, the Rugby Football Union quickly showed its support for the 46-year-old coach. Its chief executive, Bill Sweeney, acknowledged “very disappointing” performances, while insisting that the RFU still trusted Borthwick and his staff to turn the situation around.

Appointed head coach in December 2022, the former lock remains under contract until the 2027 World Cup. But with an England side that has lost its bearings and one Six Nations match still to play against France, the margin for error has narrowed considerably for the head coach and his squad.