Manu Tuilagi led the onslaught as England kept up the pressure on Grand Slam-chasing Wales by overwhelming Italy 57-14 at Twickenham.
Tries by Jamie George, Jonny May, Tuilagi and Brad Shields sealed the bonus point in the 32nd minute to break Ireland’s Six Nations record for the fastest produced by three minutes.
Tuilagi was a marauding presence until his exit in the final quarter and it was fitting that he followed up his first Test try for five years – his last was also against Italy – with a second soon after the interval.
Predictably enough, Conor O’Shea’s men were overpowered with Tuilagi supported by the equally devastating Joe Cokanasiga, who set off like a freight train, faded and then finished explosively.
George Kruis, Dan Robson and Shields added final-quarter tries and it was a bulldozing run from man of the match Cokanasiga that enabled the replacement scrum-half to cross.
It was not until the 62nd minute that Eddie Jones decided to field Robson and George Ford and given the result was effectively sealed around the half-hour mark, it once again highlighted the reliance on Owen Farrell and Ben Youngs.
For England to now clinch the Six Nations title Wales must fall to Ireland in the final round next Saturday and Scotland must be swept aside in a bonus-point win at Twickenham.
They are well placed to capitalise on an upset at the Principality Stadium, while at the opposite end of the table Italy are playing to avoid the wooden spoon.
Aside from their resilience and occasional spells of effective rugby, there was little for them to salvage from their visit to London and the calls for a play-off for Six Nations relegation to be introduced will only grow louder.
