Maro Itoje ‘explosion’ at Fin Smith reveals England pressure after latest Six Nations setback

England’s latest Six Nations campaign is threatening to collapse into turmoil, with last week’s 23-18 loss to Italy leaving Steve Borthwick’s side in fifth, with three losses and a solitary win from four matches.

The Azzurri landed their first ever win over England with victory in Rome on Saturday, the visitors giving up an eight-point lead to fall to a historic defeat that leaves questions around several players and even head coach Borthwick.

And one clip has surfaced from Saturday’s match that perhaps illustrates the tension within the England camp, with captain Maro Itoje seen shouting at fly half Fin Smith over a decision to kick a penalty for three points.

The clip shows Itoje and Smith engaged in a brief conversation before Itoje shouts: “Don’t argue with me, take the three”.

England slumped to the historic defeat at the Stadio Olimpico, with Itoje later saying that the team “have to face the facts and face reality and get back to work”.

But the clip has prompted further question marks around the England camp, with former winger Ugo Monye questioning whether there is something fundamentally wrong.

“That that level of indecision, is it indicative of where England are?” asked the ex-Wasps and England player on BBC’s Rugby Special.

“England had to win that game and it was a tight game,” replied former Scotland forward John Barclay. “It was going that way. Do you want that level of background noise when you’re trying to make a decision?

“Maro [Itoje] has made the decision, Elis Genge is having a bit of a joke maybe, and Fin Smith has said ‘Well, are we putting it in the corner?’

“That probably highlights what’s happened in the last couple of weeks. Just so much pressure, and there’s a bit of an explosion there. I don’t think there’s a huge amount in it, but [it’s] probably indicative of where they are.”

Former Wales captain Sam Warburton gave his backing to Itoje, saying that he “was absolutely right” but adding that the incident does illustrate the level of pressure that the group is under.

“Maro knew it was going to be three – it was a tight game, always take the three in that situation – but then I think Fin Smith was challenging it,” said Warburton. “But I think pressure does funny things to you. It was absolutely the right decision to go for three, but it just shows the pressure that this group is under right now.”

The result leaves England in fifth in the Six Nations standings with just six points from four matches, with Borthwick’s side still able to finish bottom and facing their first four-loss campaign in this tournament since 1976 as they face France next week in Paris.