England v Italy
Robshaw ready for unpredictable Italy
ESPN Staff
February 12, 2015
Chris Robshaw shone against Wales © Getty Images
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England skipper Chris Robshaw is braced for an unpredictable Italy side ahead of their meeting at Twickenham on Saturday.

Just eight days after silencing a partisan Millennium Stadium with a stirring 21-16 comeback victory that has been acclaimed as a pivotal moment for Stuart Lancaster's men, the new title favourites face the workman-like Azzurri.

England know they must meet the expectation of putting the Six Nations' weakest team to the sword, boosting their points difference in the process, while remaining aware that Italy will not simply wave them through.

Two years ago they edged their Twickenham meeting only 18-11 with six penalties from Toby Flood accounting for their score in a difficult afternoon.

"It'll be a completely different pressure compared to Wales," Robshaw said. "I'm sure most people will be coming to Twickenham expecting us to win comfortably, but we know what we've got to do and the aims we set for ourselves.

"You want to perform well and you also want to win. You hope as a team you'll be more cohesive and it's that different type of pressure. They're away from home and are the underdogs. There's not really anything to lose. When you're the favourites, so to speak, it is a different type of pressure.

"We've had tight games against Italy in the past. They almost beat us three years ago and two years ago, and on another day, they could have. As a team we're treating them with the utmost respect, like we treat every other side that we've played.

"We had a great win in Cardiff, but it was the start to the campaign for us and that's all. Now it's about backing that up."

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