The Leicester Tigers fly-half landed six penalties to secure a fourth win from four games for England. The win keeps them top of the Six Nations Championship table going into the final round of fixtures.
Flood’s haul took him past Jonathan Webb and into fourth place on England’s all-time points list. Rob Andrew, Paul Grayson and Jonny Wilkinson are ahead of him.
Flood was joined in the England starting XV by his Tigers teammates Tom Youngs, Dan Cole, Geoff Parling and Manu Tuilagi. Ben Youngs joined the fray from the bench and there was a first appearance in England colours in 12 months for Tom Croft, who was a second-half replacement. For Italy, Martin Castrogiovanni went off during the first-half with a knock.
The Italians scored the only try of the game. Luke Mclean, their winger, collected Luciano Orquera’s kick to score at the left corner. Orquera kicked the rest of the Azzurri’s points, who had England under severe pressure at the end as they threatened to derail the hosts’ Grand Slam push.
But England held firm and the win sets up a title decider with second-placed Wales in Cardiff next weekend.
