Match Report - Wales labour to record-equalling win over stubborn Italy
Wales equalled the longest unbeaten run in their 138-year Test match history as they defeated dogged Guinness Six Nations opponents Italy 26-15 at Stadio Olimpico.
It was Wales’ 11th successive victory, matching the sequence set between 1907 and 1910, and teed up a crunch Cardiff clash against England in a fortnight’s time.
Wales, though, will need to be significantly better for that game as a team showing 10 changes from the side that staged a stunning second-half fightback to beat France in Paris last week laboured far too much in Rome.
Tries by wing Josh Adams and centre Owen Watkin proved the difference, while fly-half Dan Biggar kicked 14 points and Gareth Anscombe converted Watkin’s touchdown.
But Italy, despite slipping to a 19th successive Six Nations defeat and a 13th on the bounce against Wales, battled hard throughout.
They claimed a first-half try from flanker Abraham Steyn, with fly-half Tommaso Allan kicking a penalty and conversion, before wing Edoardo Padovani crossed late on.
Wales were ultimately deserved winners, yet they will be frustrated at not collecting a winning bonus point, which might prove costly in the final championship shake-up.
Head coach Warren Gatland made wholesale changes following last week’s comeback victory over France, handing Six Nations debuts to Leicester wing Jonah Holmes and Wasps flanker Thomas Young, plus first Six Nations starts for scrum-half Aled Davies and back-row forward Aaron Wainwright.
Italy were soon in trouble, conceding a penalty after just 27 seconds for not releasing, and Biggar kicked Wales in front.
Biggar then doubled Wales’ advantage through a second penalty 12 minutes later as the visitors dominated territory and possession.
Italy, apart from a break by wing Angelo Esposito, showed nothing in attack, being pinned on the back foot as Biggar completed a penalty hat-trick inside the opening quarter to put Wales 9-0 ahead.
Biggar, back in the starting line-up ahead of Gareth Anscombe, was at the heart of Wales’ attacking game.
His work under the high ball almost created a try out wide for Holmes, but, with Italy continuing to show poor discipline, he accepted another penalty chance to make it 12-0 after 29 minutes.
French referee Mathieu Raynal adopted a surprisingly lenient approach in terms of possible yellow cards, given Italy’s consistent transgressing, but the Azzurri stunned Wales eight minutes before half-time.
They sacrificed a kickable penalty to go for the corner and great work by their forwards proved too much for Wales’ defence as Steyn powered over for a try that Allan converted, making it 12-7.
It was a warning shot for Wales and they trooped off at the break with only a five-point advantage, although it should have been less as a short-range Allan penalty hit a post.
Allan, though, made amends for his miss just four minutes into the second period, finding the target from a similar range as Wales’ lead was further eroded.
Gatland made his first changes 10 minutes into the second period, sending on regular skipper Alun Wyn Jones for Jake Ball and replacing prop Samson Lee with Dillon Lewis.
And Wales claimed their first try shortly afterwards as Jonathan Davies found Liam Williams out wide and he delivered a scoring pass to Adams.
Biggar converted, but it was his final act of the match as Gatland then sent on Anscombe to replace him with Wales leading 19-10.
The final quarter saw Watkin cross for Wales and Padovani cancel that out as Wales closed down the clock on a game and performance that will not live long in the memory.
Press Association Sport
Comments on RugbyPass
To me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
30 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
30 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
30 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
30 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
30 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
30 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
30 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to commentsI think he is right, SBW is respected in RSA. The guy who never stood up is a worm. Sseems lots of NZ SBW hate, you do the crime do the time.
17 Go to comments