Defeat last week to Scotland has put England on the back foot straight away, for all there were some signs of promise despite a third straight Calcutta Cup defeat.
However, another loss at Twickenham would really derail things for Borthwick. England have never been beaten by Italy, and now is certainly not the time for that run to be ended.
Italy will arrive in confident mood though, and as a tougher assignment than in recent years. They led France with 18 minutes to go last week, before the Grand Slam champions eventually edged past them.
How to watch England vs Italy
TV channel: England vs Italy is being broadcast live and free-to-air on ITV1 in the UK, with coverage beginning at 2.15pm GMT ahead of a 3pm kick-off.
Live stream: Fans can also catch all the action live online via the ITVX app or ITV website.
Live blog: Follow all the action on Sunday with Standard Sport’s dedicated match blog, with expert analysis from rugby correspondent Nick Purewal at Twickenham.
