Twickenham will stage an exhibition on Saturday. A training session. A problem-solving exercise. A chance to put on a show. The outcome is certain, so this is not a Test match in the truest sense, promising tension and intrigue.
England v Italy is a fixture in reverse. The match begins with the result already known. For all the diplomacy of the hosts, they are well aware that the question is not whether they win, but how many they win by.
The bottom line is to claim the four-try bonus point which will keep them firmly in contention to claim the Guinness Six Nations title.
England will need to put on a show against Italy at Twickenham after defeat by Wales
Joe Cokanasiga, Manu Tuilagi and Ben Te'o have all been selected to start in the backline
Frankly, if they fall short of that objective, it will be a seismic shock. Since the Italians joined the annual championship, they have lost nine successive matches in south-west London, by an average of 30 points.
They are currently on a record-breaking run of 20 consecutive Six Nations defeats. The Azzurri’s head coach, Conor O’Shea, speaks with endless enthusiasm about the project he is overseeing but long-term hope is being masked by short-term failure.
Some bookmakers were offering odds of between 50-1 and 73-1 against the visitors. The Six Nations is founded on fierce rivalries but the harsh reality is that this has never been one. It just comes down to whether England win with a swagger or a stutter.
Eddie Jones’s team know that the task is to keep the pressure on their conquerors in Cardiff. Wales are on course for a Grand Slam, but any slip will allow the English — buoyed by their bonus points —to snatch the title.
Warren Gatland’s men take on Scotland at Murrayfield in the early kick-off and then Ireland at home next week.
England will expect to dispatch Italy and Scotland on successive Saturdays, which may yet leave them top of the European pile for the third time in four years.
In the not-too-distant future, this could be a fixture with something else riding on it. Relegation. If World Rugby’s grand plans come to fruition, this championship will not stay ring-fenced much longer and the Italians would be fighting for survival.
The focus will be on the process. The fine detail. The sub-plots. England have a new look, one that Jones has been excited about unveiling, so it will be fascinating to see whether his super-sized side functions effectively.
