Italy topple England for the first time in Six Nations history

ROME (AP) — Italy beat England for the first time in a rugby international on Saturday.

Italy triumphed 23-18 at the Stadio Olimpico, finally knocking off the only team it hadn’t beaten since it joined the Six Nations in 2000.

In a scrappy match, the home side claimed the lead for the third and final time with eight minutes to go after a Leonardo Marin try converted by Paolo Garbisi, who was a perfect five-of-five off the kicking tee.

Italy erupted in joy at fulltime, and a little relief. Having beaten Scotland at home in round one, Italy believed it had its best ever chance to topple a deflated England.

“We felt tension before the game,” Italy captain Michele Lamaro said. “We felt this game was close. We were nervous. Our confidence built during the game. We stuck together as a wall in defense.”

Defeat was England's third in a row following a 12-match winning streak, and it could get worse. England faces title-chasing France in Paris in the final round next Saturday with the possibility of suffering four defeats in the same championship for the first time in 50 years.

There's even a very slim chance England could end up with the wooden spoon if a heavy defeat to France follows a big win by Wales over Italy. As it stands, Italy has overtaken England in the table to fourth place.

Asked why things have gone so wrong for England, captain Maro Itoje said, "We have to figure it out. If we knew we wouldn't be in this position. We have to stick together. Teams go through tough periods and we are going through a tough period now.

“We have to own the result and it is a results business. As captain, I take responsibility for that.”

England’s win-loss record against Italy was 32-0 since the 1991 Rugby World Cup in tests capped by both sides, and 26-0 in the Six Nations. England averaged 36.2 points at Stadio Olimpico.

But England contributed to its historic defeat when it received two late yellow cards while in the lead.

At 18-10, flanker Sam Underhill was sin-binned for head contact on Italy prop Danilo Fischetti. Garbisi slotted that penalty kick and another soon after off the post to cut the gap to two.

Itoje was sin-binned in the 64th for illegally slapping the ball in a maul and 13 men were playing Italy's 15.

England held out and got Underhill back. Then Italy produced the try of the match.

Garbisi kick-passed to left winger Monty Ioane near halfway. Ioane charged and offloaded to Tommaso Menoncello, who bumped off Elliot Daly and passed inside to midfield partner Marin to finish off.

Until then, England looked like hanging on after coach Steve Borthwick named a new backline amid 12 team changes, three of them positional, in the most changes by England in the Six Nations era.

England dominated the first quarter but without any punch until center Tommy Freeman scored from an Alex Coles miss-out pass.

Menoncello replied with a break and 40-meter solo try for 10-5 but England reclaimed the lead right on halftime. A counterattack was capped by Fin Smith's kick-pass to scorer Tom Roebuck that Smith converted for 12-10.

Smith added two more penalties after halftime for 18-10 with Italy down a man after hooker Giacomo Nicotera was yellow-carded for a cynical ruck foul.

But instead of taking advantage, England's discipline imploded.

“We are gutted,” Borthwick said. “For 60 minutes, we are in control and those two sin-bins hurt us. Discipline is a significant factor, it is something we have to improve.”

AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby

Italy's Tommaso Menoncello scores a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Italy and England in Rome, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Italy's Monty Ioane, left, is challenged by England's Tommy Roebuck during the Six Nations rugby union match between Italy and England in Rome, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Italy's Leonardo Marin, center, scores a try during the Six Nations rugby union match between Italy and England in Rome, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

England's players stand on the pitch at the end of the Six Nations rugby union match between Italy and England in Rome, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

BERLIN (AP) — Wolfsburg moved a step closer to Bundesliga relegation on Saturday with an ill-tempered 2-1 loss at home to Hamburger SV that ended with rival players fighting in an on-field melee.

Masked Wolfsburg fans threw flares on the pitch sending black smoke billowing behind one of the goals to illustrate their frustrations with the team’s predicament after its eighth game without a win left it 17th in the 18-team division.

Both teams’ substitutes and team officials rushed onto the field after the final whistle with Wolfsburg midfielder Maximilian Arnold seemingly reacting angrily after being provoked by Hamburg rivals.

Referee Florian Exner's whistles failed to stop the melee. He showed Wolfsburg reserve goalkeeper Marius Müller a red card.

“It's not nice to be in the locker room now,” Arnold said. “It's absolutely not a good time. Everyone at Wolfsburg is completely frustrated. We imagined it differently today. We put everything into it, but luck isn't on our side at the moment.”

Christian Eriksen scored a penalty for Wolfsburg but his team conceded two and Hamburg converted both to move nine points above the home team and in good position to survive its first season back in the top division.

It’s likely to have been Daniel Bauer’s last game as Wolfsburg coach with both Dieter Hecking and Felix Magath touted with possible returns to lead the Volkswagen-backed club to safety. Bauer’s successor would be the team’s third coach of the season.

Wolfsburg fans displayed a banner before the game saying it was the last chance for the team, and that they were behind the players. Afterward, there was a banner that said, “Chance wasted, support withdrawn.”

Nine rounds remain after this weekend.

“We have nine games left, we'll give them our all, and I hope from next week they go in a new direction,” Arnold said. “We will only manage it together. I understand the frustration and disappointment. ... I don’t think anyone will sleep tonight because it hurts so much. Still, you have to get up again tomorrow. That’s life, you always get new chances.”

Wolfsburg next faces third-place Hoffenheim, then relegation-rival Werder Bremen, and Bayer Leverkusen.

Second-place Borussia Dortmund held on to win 2-1 at 10-man Cologne and stay 11 points behind league leader Bayern Munich.

Bayern took another step toward its 13th title in 14 years on Friday with a 4-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Serhou Guirassy stretched for Dortmund's opener in the 16th minute and Maximilian Beier scored on the hour-mark at Cologne, which had Jahmai Simpson-Pusey sent off before the break for catching Beier's heel with his studs.

Simpson-Pusey apologized to the stricken player after he was shown a yellow card, then to the Cologne fans when it was overturned for red after a VAR review.

Jakub Kaminski scored Cologne's consolation in the 88th. His team should arguably have also had a penalty for handball in the final minutes, but there was no VAR intervention.

Alexander Prass scored twice and Hoffenheim defeated last-place Heidenheim 4-2 away to consolidate third.

Leverkusen was on course to move fourth – the last place for Champions League qualification – when it was leading 3-2 against Freiburg and qualification rivals Stuttgart and Leipzig were both losing.

Then Matthias Ginter scored late for Freiburg to draw 3-3, Stuttgart drew 2-2 in Mainz, and Yan Diomande led Leipzig to a 2-1 home win over Augsburg.

Stuttgart stayed fourth with 47 points, ahead of Leipzig on goal difference, with Leverkusen three points behind in sixth.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Wolfsburg's Dzenan Pejcinovic, right, and Hamburger's Luka Vuskovic battle for the ball during their German Bundesliga soccer match in Wolfsburg, Germany, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)

Wolfsburg's Christian Eriksen, right, and Hamburger's Daniel Elfadli battle for the ball during their German Bundesliga soccer match in Wolfsburg, Germany, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)

Wolfsburg fans throw flares onto the pitch following the German Bundesliga soccer match between Hamburger and Wolfsburg in Wolfsburg, Germany, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)

An altercation between Hamburger and Wolfsburg players following their German Bundesliga soccer match in Wolfsburg, Germany, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)

An altercation between Hamburger and Wolfsburg players following their German Bundesliga soccer match in Wolfsburg, Germany, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (Andreas Gora/dpa via AP)