| Wales (0) 21 |
| Tries: Dee, Rowlands, Grady Cons: Costelow,I Lloyd 2 |
| Italy (11) 24 |
| Tries: Ioane, Pani Cons: Garbisi Pens: Garbisi 3, Web page-Relo |
Italy beat Wales in Cardiff to realize their most profitable Six Nations and consign their hosts to a primary Picket Spoon in 21 years.
A strive from wing Monty Ioane and two Paulo Garbisi penalties gave Italy an 11-0 half-time lead.
Full-back Lorenzo Pani added an excellent rating with Garbisi and Martin Web page-Relo kicking penalties.
Wales responded with tries from Elliot Dee, Will Rowlands and Mason Grady to present the rating some respectability.
The three-point margin of defeat flattered Wales with Italy’s win making certain a repeat of the 2022 victory in Cardiff.
It was a tragic finish to centre George North’s Wales profession as he was was helped from the sphere within the closing phases in his ultimate Take a look at after asserting his worldwide retirement.
Inspirational Italy
This was the primary time since 2015 and the final eight tournaments Italy had not completed backside of the Six Nations desk.
It has been a dramatic turnaround after they conceded 156 factors within the ultimate two 2023 World Cup pool defeats in opposition to New Zealand and France when Kieran Crowley was in cost.
Head coach Gonzalo Quesada has are available and following defeats by England and Eire, guided his aspect to an away draw in opposition to France and victories in opposition to Scotland and Wales.
Italy have beforehand completed fourth, however the two victories and a draw is their most profitable match of outcomes since they joined the Six Nations in 2000.
The Azzurri had by no means prevented defeat in three consecutive Championship matches and had solely received two matches in a Six Nations, in 2007 and 2013.
Wales woe
In distinction, this Wales aspect are rivalling the outcomes of the terrible days of the late Eighties and early Nineteen Nineties.
This was a twelfth defeat within the final 13 video games within the match, together with seven successive Six Nations house defeats.
The one time Wales have beforehand misplaced all 5 of their Six Nations fixtures was in 2003 beneath Steve Hansen. Two years later Wales received the Grand Slam.
You’ll at present get good odds for that occuring once more given the present state of Welsh rugby which has been allowed to say no by the powerbrokers lately.
New Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chief govt Abi Tierney has promised an general technique by June. It’s lengthy overdue.
This case has been coming. Wales received the Six Nations title in 2021, however in 2020, 2022 and 2023 they completed fifth with just one victory in every match.
Now they’ve the suffered the humiliation of 5 defeats in a single competitors with the newest defeat seeing them slip to tenth on the earth rankings and Italy rise to eighth.
Is Gatland nonetheless the person?
The query will now be whether or not Warren Gatland is the person to steer the rebuild and revival, a coach who received three Grand Slams and reached two World Cup semi-finals throughout his first 12-year stint in cost.
The WRU suppose so with the chief director of rugby Nigel Walker beforehand calling Gatland one of the best coach on the earth.
Since he returned to changed Wayne Pivac in December 2022, Gatland has solely received one recreation in 10 Six Nations matches, with a solitary away victory in opposition to Italy in Rome final 12 months.
His general document of his second spell in cost is six wins in 18 video games, with 4 of these victories coming within the World Cup in France final 12 months the place Wales reached the quarter-finals earlier than shedding to Argentina.
Gatland has misplaced a number of expertise within the final 12 months with the retirements of Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric, Rhys Webb, Dan Biggar, Josh Navidi, Leigh Halfpenny and now North.
Liam Williams, Gareth Anscombe, Tomas Francis, Taulupe Faletau, Jac Morgan, Taine Plumtree, Christ Tshiunza and Dewi Lake have been unavailable for this marketing campaign due to damage or membership commitments.
That has left Gatland handing Cardiff’s Cameron Winnett, Alex Mann, Mackenzie Martin and Evan Lloyd an opportunity after they have performed solely a handful {of professional} video games.
Gatland may also mirror on a few of his personal choices, together with his choices and alternative choices throughout matches.
Grady and Rowlands reminded him of their skills in opposition to Italy in a marketing campaign through which they had been noticeably under-utilised.
It is not going to get simpler as Wales put together to play world champions South Africa and Australia this summer season.
North bids farewell
The afternoon had began filled with emotion as North led the aspect out on his 121st cap for the ultimate time.
It was 13-and-a-half-years after he made his debut as an 18-year-old in opposition to South Africa when he scored two tries in November 2010.
4 Six Nations titles, 4 World Cups and two Grand Slams later, solely Alun Wyn Jones and Gethin Jenkins have extra caps, solely Shane Williams has scored extra tries.
North, who was visibly emotional in the course of the anthem, returned with Nick Tompkins after the centre pair had been omitted from the beginning aspect in opposition to France, with Joe Roberts and Owen Watkin dropped on this event.
Regardless of the endeavour, the Italy centres of player-of-the-match Juan Ignacio Brex and Tommaso Menoncello outplayed their opponents.
Quesada made three modifications with full-back Ange Capuozzo injured and changed by Pani, whereas Wales-born scrum-half Stephen Varney and quantity eight Lorenzo Cannone additionally began.
Italy in management
Garbisi opened the scoring with two penalties as Wales seemed laboured within the early exchanges.
Italy proved slick and a fluent transfer noticed wing Ioane cross for the opening strive. The house aspect had been responsible of a sequence of unforced errors within the first half, typified by a mix-up between fly-half Sam Costelow and full-back Winnett which resulted in a unnecessary knock-on.
The frustration spilled over when kicking coach Neil Jenkins had phrases with French referee Mathieu Raynal after a possible Italy excessive deal with. It ended with Raynal warning Jenkins about his conduct.
In 4 of the 5 video games within the match, Wales didn’t register a single level in a half and the opening 40 minutes in opposition to Italy was as poor as Gatland’s aspect have been.
Wales began the second half encouragingly following breaks from Rio Dyer and Tomos Williams, however a neck roll penalty was given away by Adam Beard.
Italy demonstrated a considerably extra scientific edge with a perfectly well-worked strive from a primary part line-out with the house created for Pani. Garbisi transformed.
Too little, too late, for Wales
Wales turned to the bench by bringing on Rowlands and Grady, who supplied Wales with some much-needed ball-carrying momentum.
Scrum-half Williams nearly scored, however was denied by an excellent protecting deal with by Exeter quantity eight Ross Vintcent.
Williams was carried off earlier than Dee was pushed over to present Wales some hope, however Italy regrouped via two late penalties.
North was helped off to a standing ovation as Wales rallied with two last-gasp tries via Rowlands and Grady, who was the brilliant spark for Gatland’s aspect.
Italy will marvel how they solely received by three factors, however will have fun their progress. For Wales, it is again to the drafting board.
Line-ups
Wales: Winnett; Adams, North, Tompkins, Dyer; Costelow, Tomos Williams; G Thomas, Dee, Lewis, Jenkins (capt), Beard, Mann, Reffell, Wainwright.
Replacements: E Lloyd, Mathias, O’Connor, Rowlands, Martin, Hardy, I Lloyd, Grady.
Italy: Pani; Lynagh, Brex, Menoncello, Ioane; Garbisi, Varney; Fischetti, Nicotera, Ferrari, N Cannone, Ruzza, Negri, Lamaro (capt), L Cannone
Replacements: Lucchesi, Spagnolo, Zilocchi, Favretto, Vintcent, Zuliani, Web page-Relo, Marin.
Match officers
Referee: Mathieu Raynal (France)
Contact judges: Chris Busby (Eire) & Morne Ferreira (South Africa)
TMO: Pleasure Neville (Eire)
