Despite a man-of-the-match performance from young flanker Josh Furno and a promising all-around team performance, Italy were ultimately denied yet again, this time by a last-gasp Duncan Weir drop-goal. After that match, with the race for the Six Nations title heating up between France, Ireland, Wales and England, Italy went into freefall. The last two games saw them go down by 46-7 away in Dublin, which was followed by an even more humiliating 52-11 defeat on their own turf against eventual runners-up England.