Six Nations: Joe Marler urges England team-mates to build on opening-day victory

Joe Marler has urged his England team-mates to build on their 21-16 victory in Wales when they face Italy at Twickenham on Saturday.

Stuart Lancaster's team battled back from early 10-0 and 16-8 deficits in Cardiff to prevail at a partisan Millennium Stadium in Friday night's tumultuous Six Nations Championship opener.

The comeback, completed despite the psychological scarring left by their 30-3 Grand Slam derailing in Wales in 2013, was founded, according to Harlequins prop Marler, on the experience of having endured a number of near misses.

He said: "It definitely feels as if we are a team that is evolving and sorting out problems on the pitch.

"In Paris last year when we went down early there was still that little bit of panic and unease about how we are going to get back into the game.

Beating Wales like that has raised confidence levels because it was a great performance. It was a good result but there's still plenty to work on.

"But in Cardiff hardly anything was said and it was a case of what's the next job and let's get on with it. The boys are starting to understand the lessons we have learnt.

"Beating Wales like that has raised confidence levels because it was a great performance. It was a good result but there's still plenty to work on.

"To go 10-0 down wasn't in the plan and there are areas to tweak, disciplinary areas which we managed to sort out in the game, but we don't want to put ourselves in that position again."

Facing Marler in south-west London at the weekend will be 108-cap veteran Martin Castrogiovanni, the hirsute tighthead who continues to provide the cornerstone of the effective Azzurri pack.

"Martin gets more experienced all the time and is still world class. He's been at the very top for a number of years now," added Marler, who will win his 28th cap against Italy.

"Having moved from Leicester to Toulon, who love their scrums even more than Leicester, he'll be one heck of a challenge at the weekend. And one I'm looking forward to.

"He's technically very, very good. He gets very low and is obviously a very big man. He's very strong and I've had a couple of tough moments against him in the past and hopefully I can go better against him this time.

"Italy are a very good team who pride themselves on the set piece. They are big, physical and passionate men and just won't stop."

Marler is set to continue at loosehead prop with Lancaster due to name an unchanged starting XV and bench for the round two fixture on Thursday morning.