Why a win isn't the priority for Steve Tandy against Italy

Wales boss Steve Tandy insists performance is more important than victory in the Six Nations finale with Italy, despite their three-year wait for a win in the competition.

Italy were the last team to lose a Six Nations game to Wales on March 11, 2023 – and come kick-off in Cardiff on Saturday that will be 1,099 days ago.

Wales have since lost 15 consecutive matches in the Championship and supporters are desperate to see their worst ever run in the tournament ended.

Asked at his pre-match press conference if performance or result was more important, Tandy said: “I think performance.

“If we get the performance, the result will follow. I want both, if I’m honest, but I think the performance will get us closer.

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Italy

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“We can’t control the outcome. You see in games, the bounce of the ball might not always go your way, but where we have to be is consistent.

“We have to consistently get better and have consistent performances. Because the closer you get, like against Scotland and Ireland and you’re in games, the results will follow.

“You can get a win, but actually are you still growing? They should go hand in hand.

“We want to produce a performance that replicates what we did over the last few weeks, but also makes it better.”

After his autumn introduction, which produced a narrow victory over Japan and heavy defeats to Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa, Tandy has had to endure some tough moments again.

Wales conceded 102 points in opening defeats to England and France, but there has been significant progress in the last two Six Nations rounds.

Scotland were five minutes from losing in Cardiff before eventually prevailing 26-23.

Wales then lost 27-17 to Ireland in Dublin but were within one score until four minutes from time.

“I don’t think it’s turning a corner, it’s been building right throughout,” said Tandy, who has named an unchanged team for the first time in his Wales reign.

“There’s different games, different situations. Physically, the boys pitched up (in Dublin).

“Go back to the Argentina game or the All Blacks game and we were probably off tactically, getting all the new systems in place.

“But the last two games, we’ve put more things together, whether it be a start point around defence… the physicality of this group has always been there, it’s just coming out now because we’re showing more consistent moments on both sides of the ball.”

Rhys Carre scored a sensational try in Dublin, with video footage of his 30-metre run that took the prop past Ireland winger Robert Baloucoune going viral on social media.

Tandy said: “My favourite was the one with Whitney Houston singing (I Have Nothing) behind the try.

“It’s testament to Rhys and the beauty for a lot of our team is the ceiling’s higher. We’ve just got to keep pushing and be better.”