As in 2008 and 2010 England were put under extreme pressure by the Azzurri but the cool head of Owen Farrell and Charlie Hodgson's second try in two games were enough for another narrow success.

Two first-half penalties from Farrell gave England a 6-0 lead but quickfire tries from Giovanbattista Venditti and Tommaso Benvenuti before the break brought the Italians back into it and they led 12-6 at half-time.

Hodgson's chargedown try at the start of the second half got England going again and two more penalties from Farrell were enough as they held on for the win.

Italy's first-ever RBS 6 Nations clash at the Stadio Olimpico was played in freezing conditions in front of a record crowd of 72,000.

Heavy snowfall earlier in the day had threatened whether the game would go ahead but the sides kicked off on a pitch covered with a light dusting of snow.

The visitors made the brighter start holding on to the ball in the early stages but a poor pass from Dylan Hartley to Tom Croft killed the momentum on one early attack.

Neither side was really able to take control in the opening quarter but a misfiring English lineout allowed the Italians to grow into the game.

In difficult conditions both sides chose to employ a kicking game in an attempt to dominate territory.

The first moment of danger came on 25 minutes as a loose pass from Sergio Parisse went to no one and David Strettle hacked forward before having his legs clipped by Kris Burton and Farrell slotted the ensuing penalty from the right.

Jacques Brunel was dealt a major blow seven minutes from the break when prop Martin Castrogiovanni was forced off with what looked like a rib injury. And the England scrum took immediate advantage earning a penalty wide on the right which Farrell converted to make it 6-0.

However Italy finally grabbed the first try of the game as England failed to deal with a grubber kick from Kris Burton and after both Ben Foden and Ben Youngs could not collect the ball, Venditti pounced to score his first international try. Burton's conversion was pulled wide as England led 6-5.

A minute later the Azzurri were in front when Foden tried an ambitious offload which Benvenuti snapped up before racing over from halfway for a second Italian try. Burton's conversion made it 12-6 at the break.

England's discipline deserted them at the start of the second half as Sergio Parisse was taken out in the lineout by Tom Palmer before Tom Croft blocked the Italian captain while chasing a kick allowing Burton to extend the lead to 15-6.

However England struck back as Hodgson scored a second chargedown try in as many weeks as he took advantage of a ponderous clearance attempt from Andrea Masi. Farrell converted to make it 15-13 with half an hour to go.

Lancaster chose to throw the dice bringing on Ben Morgan and Lee Dickson and their introduction seemed to inspire the side.

When Marco Bortolami was penalised for offside Farrell again made no mistake from 35 metres out to put the visitors back in front.

Morgan then began to impose himself on the game with his carrying while Dickson added an injection of pace as England began to squeeze the life out of their hosts.

An impressive English scrum offered Farrell three more points as England stretched the lead to four, and they were let off the hook when Tobias Botes missed an opportunity at three points from a penalty conceded at the kickoff.

However the Italians were beginning to make a dent in the English defence and a push from Chris Ashton on the chasing Botes gave the South African-born fly-half the chance to bring Italy back to within a point but again he got it terribly wrong.

Italy continued to press but they could not find another opening as England avoided a first-ever defeat to the Azzurri.