So despite a slightly disjointed and sloppy spell in the first half, Wales won that handsomely in the end, their selections and replacements paying off in a much more expansive second-half performance. They were helped by Italy losing all momentum after a tenacious first-half showing, despite being depleted by yellow cards, and now look well placed to take second place. The battle for the runners-up slot does at least look hard to call next weekend. Stay on the site for Paul Rees’s report from Cardiff. Thanks for reading. Bye.
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Full-time: Wales 38-14 Italy
Italy clear their lines from the scrum and kick for touch but Wales win possession again from an interception, from which Evans bursts for the line but is barged out of play. And that’s our lot.
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80 mins: Wales enjoy the final passage of play from a lineout in the corner. They’re whistled for a knock-on, which most of the crowd, and North, evidently fail to hear as the Northampton man gambols merrily over the line to score what he thinks is another try. It’s not. It’s an Italy scrum.
78 mins: Yellow card: Benvenutti is off for a deliberate knock-on similar to Davies’s trangression. As Hadleigh Parkes is deservedly named man of the match.
Try! Wales 38-14 Italy (Bellini)
76 mins: Some rare possession and territory for Italy through a couple of phases but Wales hold the line well and eventually regain possession through Steff Evans. But Italy turn it over again and move it swiftly out left where Ruzzo feeds Bellini for a fine try. The replacement Canna angles over a fine kick to convert too.
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Try! Wales 38-7 Italy (Tipuric)
72 mins: Halfpenny charges through the middle but can’t quite beat the last man, but Wales come again and Parkes, who’s been impressive all afternoon, loops a lovely pass over to Tipuric on the far left and he dives over. Halfpenny is unerringly accurate from out wide to add the extras, and the runners-up slot is on!
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70 mins: Wales are turning it on now, and a lovely move from right to left, featuring a clever disguised pass by Patchell ends with Parkes just being bundled out of play. Italy clear up to halfway, but they can’t get any further than that at the moment. It’s been a desperately disappointing second half from them.
68 mins: More changes: Negri is off for Italy, replaced by Ruzza, and Ghiraldini is replaced by Fabiani. Tomas Francis is on for Wales too.
Try! Wales 31-7 Italy
North seals the bonus point. Pressure in front of the posts, it’s worked out to Patchell, who offloads smartly for North a couple of yards out and he isn’t going to miss from there. Halfpenny pops it over. Game done and dusted.
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66 mins: More changes: Jenkins for James Davies, Seb Davies for Corey Hill.
65 mins: A driving attack from Wales ends with Parkes powering through a crowd of bodies for the line. Referee Garces says he ‘has no idea’ and seeks TMO advice. Two camera angles aren’t conclusive, a third suggests the tip of the ball is down. But upstairs they say they can’t definitely see a clear grounding. Bonus-point try denied. For now. Boos ring out around the needlessly-roofed arena.
64 mins: Italy replacements: Pasquali and Palazzani on in a change of props. All a bit scrappy and flat at the minute.
63 mins: Wales come again, spanning the width of the pitch twice in two fluent phases before a fine tackle from Parisse on North pegs them back. Italy win a scrum instead.
61 mins: Italy concede another penalty on halfway, giving Patchell a first touch, which he overhits towards the corner and it drifts over the line.
60 mins: Wales are back to 15 men, and again make substitutions. Rhys Patchell, Ken Owens and Alan Davies are on for Handscombe, Elliott Dee and G Davies. Rob Evans is also on, for Nicky Smith.
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58 mins: Almost a wonderful try as Davies accelarates from halfway, feeds Faletau who powers forward on the inside left, unloads to Tipuric who passes wide to Evans, who’s bundled out of play by tenacious scrambled defence from Italy.
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56 mins: Italy attack putposefully on the right with Ghiraldini, Budd and Benevenutti but stout defence from Dee and Steffan Evans wins possession back, and ultimately a penalty, for Wales.
53 mins: Drives from Parkes and then Dee take Wales forward through two phases. Italy hold them at bay and eventually win a penalty to clear the danger with a long kick to the righthand touchline by Allan.
50 mins: Hayward knocks on with Italy on the attack to give Wales a chance to alleviate some pressure. A fine long kick forward from Parkes puts Wales on the attack at the point of the home side’s return to 14 men. Italy have wasted the 10 minutes Liam Williams was off.
But it isn’t Williams who returns, it’s Leigh Halfpenny.
48 mins: Italy recycle from right to leg and back again before Davies infringes with his outstretched hand – it’s a deliberate knock-on. Referee Garces lets play continue before eventually pulling it back and sending Gareth Davies to the sin-bin. Wales are briefly down to 13!
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47 mins: Italy work it though a couple of fluent phases before Wales strength turns it over, it’s worked out left and Faletau tries to bulldoze through and play is held up at the next phase at the turnover for an Italy penalty. They clear the danger for now.
45 mins: What a deflating start to the half for Italy, and suddenly this game seems out of reach, their tenacious work late in the first half undone.
Try! Wales 24-7 Italy (Hill)
43 mins: North tries to burrow through as the scrum is offloaded. He’s blocked but it’s laid off to Cory Hill from the ruck and he spots a gap and scores. It’s converted comfortably by Anscombe.
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42 mins: Anscombe initiates Wales pressure with a cute little kick and chase (though was there a knock-on?) and it ends in a lineout in the right corner. Pressure on the Italian line earns Wales a scrum with a fine chargedown behind the line by Gareth Davies.
Peep!
Wales get us going again.
The early stages of the second half should be quite a test for Wales – a man down for 10 minutes and with the expansive rugby they’d hoped for not fully materialising. Much depends on Italy not beginning the second period as they began the first and repeating some of the pressure they managed particularly in the middle period of the first half.
Half-time: Wales 17-7 Italy
And that’s that for the first half. Sloppiness from Italy allowed Wales to be rampant in the opening stages, running in two tries and looking as if they’d threaten many more. But none more have been forthcoming, and Italy have pegged them back, bossing territory and kicking adroitly. Wales will need to step it up to make this game safe.
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40 mins: A bout of kicking tennis ends with Liam Williams finally finding touch as his angled kick outfoxes an edgy Minozzi. Italy’s lineout gives Wales an opening as Elliott Dee charges down Ghiraldini’s kick amd the Welsh No 2 looks to have been held back. Nowt given though. From the next lineout an angled kick to the left is not quite gathered by Steff Evans, from which a little bit of pushing and shoving ensues following Liam Williams forceful tackle. The official wants a look at it though, as shoulder and jaw have collided. The TMO says Williams’ arm has come in late – it’s too high and it’s a yellow card for the Wales full-back. He’s off for 10 minutes at the start of the second half
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Penalty: Wales 17-7 Italy
36 mins: A clumsy spell from Allan, receiving a simple pass from Violi, hands Wales a penalty. Wales, reasoning that they could do with being a couple of scores in front at the interval, opt to kick and Anscombe doesn’t miss from in front of the posts. They needed that.
33 mins: A pleasing but well contained couple of phases from Italy just inside Wales’s half comes to nothing when Wales intercept and a long kick forward comes to nothing and Bellini lets it run into the in-goal area. The atmosphere has fallen rather flat.
32 mins: Deft play from Liam Williams in the centre after a little garryowen helps Wales spread from left to right before Violi clears with a high kick forward. Italy then win a penalty at the turnover conceded by Anscombe. They opt to kick. It’s a fair distance out and though Allan finds the distance he steers it just left of the post.
27 mins: Italy attack through two phases in front of the Welsh posts before needlessly conceding a penalty for going over the top.
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25 mins: Italy are on top at the moment, kicking and pressing well. Ghiraldini drives forward well out of a maul before Allan’s attempt to find Bellini on the wing is just a touch too overhit.
23 mins: Wales scrummage well, rotating it around but Italy come again with Ghiraldini and Butt to Parisse whose loose pass is intercepted. Wales break through Liam Williams before Minotti regains possession and feeds Allan who’s hit by an absolute juggernaut of a challenge from Faletau. He needs treatment but is Ok to continue.
21 mins: James Davies concedes a penalty on halfway which Tomasso Allan capitalises on with a superb raking long kick to the right-hand corner, from which Italy win a scrum. They’re just finding their feet a little here.
19 mins: Wales try disallowed. Steff Evans’s inside kick forward is gathered by Gareth Davies who runs through to touch down but replays confirm he’s offside.
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18 mins: Italy have the first scrum of the day, 16 minutes in, just inside their own 22. Wales press hard but Minozzi clears well towards halfway.
15 mins: A fine low kick for the corner creates a lineout in a promising opportunity for Wales on the left, but Italy hold their own from their throw and Allan clears well.
Nbanda is off injured. Licata replaces him.
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13 mins: Nbanda is fit to continiue after being strapped up, and Italy show their strength at the breakdown twice to work it out left for Minozzi again though his advance is kept in check this time. Budd has to kick for the line, and Wales clear the danger from the lineout for now
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Try! Wales 14-7 Italy
10 mins: Italy enjoy some territory and possession and work it out left after a strong rlling maul, and Minozzi shows some dazzling footwork to weave through, getting outside Liam Williams to score in the corner. Nbanda needs treatment as the conversion is well converted by Allan. Lively old start here.
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Try! Wales 14-0 Italy
7th min: Watkin intercepts a loose pass from Mbanda and suddenly it’s too easy, Watkin rampages forward, sidesteps a couple of tackles before feeding North who runs through to add to Wales lead. Anscombe sends his angled conversion just inside the post. Ominous from Italy’s perspective, this.
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Try! Wales 7-0 Italy
5th min: North powers forward on the right taking Wales to within five metres, Italy defend desperately, but after Dee feeds Parkes it’s too simple for the No 12 to power through and score. Anscomne converts with ease.
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3 mins: The first turnover gives Wales an opening, Faletau tries a grubber through that Parisse gathers, but play is brought back for a Minozzi infringement. Anscombe kicks menacingly to the corner.
2 mins 0-0: Italy work it through four phases from halfway before Allan’s kick is intercepted by Liam Williams, who sends it forward to concede the first lineout.
Peep!
Italy get us underway, Allan kicking towards the corner
Anthem time, as two of the three best national anthems in the Six Nations get their airing.
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Plenty to look forward to from a Wales perspective today: Anscombe, James Davies, North’s return, Owen Watkin’s first Six Nations start, as Faletau assembles his men in the tunnel to lead out his country for the first time. The talismanic Parisse leasd out Italy. Out they come.
Some pre-match Conor O’Shea chat: he’s looking forward to a quiet drink with his former Ireland boss Warren Gatland afterwards but on the pitch he stresses the importance of making sure the key moments go Italy’s way: “We had pivotal moments against England and France when it went away from us and we need to avoid that and keep pressure up. We need to focus on our execution in those key periods, like at 10-14 against France.”
It’s a mild day in Cardiff but the roof is on. Why do they do that? It’s an outdoor sport damnit.
Women’s Six Nations news: Italy have pulled off a fine win in the first match at the Principality Stadium today, beating Wales 22-15 to secure their first victory of the tournament and draw level on points with their hosts. Michela Sillari’s late try proved decisive.
A late Wales change: Sansom Lee is out through illness, so Rhodri Jones takes his place on the bench instead.
Your teams
They line up thusly:
Wales: L Williams; North, Watkin, Parkes, S Evans; Anscombe, G Davies; Smith, Dee, Francis, Hill, B. Davies, Tipuric, J. Davies, Faletau. Replacements: Owens, R Evans, Lee, S. Davies, Jenkins, A. Davies, Patchell, Halfpenny.
Italy: Minozzi; Benvenuti, Bisegni, Castello, Bellini; Allan, Violi; Lovotti, Ghiraldini, Ferrari, Zanni, Budd, Negri, Mbanda, Parisse. Replacements: Fabiani, Quaglio, Pasquali, Ruzza, Licata, Palazzani, Canna, Hayward.
Referee: Jérôme Garcès (France)
Preamble
Afternoon everyone. With the title done and dusted, it’s inevitable that a certain air of anticlimax will accompany the remaining four matches of this year’s Six Nations (other than the St Patrick’s day set-to at Twickenham), though today’s game in Cardiff was never going to be decisive in any case.
For Wales, it’s a chance for another selectorial rejig as they seek to inject a little extra expansiveness into the late-Gatland era. Despite two defeats, Wales have probably performed better than expected this year, running England and Ireland much closer than many more downbeat fans expected they would. But they’ve made 10 changes from the side that lost in Dublin, giving first Six Nations starts to Owen Watkin and James Davies in a side with a free-running, free-wheelin’ look, what with Toby Faletau also returning. With Wales’s top three kickers out of the starting XV, they’ll need tries.
Italy have in many respects gone backwards in recent seasons, Scotland’s transformation meaning they no longer have a regular sparring partner for wooden spoon honours, which invites the question of whether there should be some kind of promotion/relegation opportunity at the tournament’s bottom end. That said, Conor O’Shea is a smart strategist and his side have scored as many tries as Wales this year – and fine ones at that – and the experienced coach can see improvements taking shape as he embarks upon a serious restructuring job of the Italian setup. Defensive weaknesses mean you’d expect them to concede plenty today but score a few too.
They’ve never won in Cardiff mind, though they did draw here 12 years ago when Wales were defending champions, albeit unravelling rapidly at that point. They’re firm underdogs today but this could be agreeably open and unpredictable. So hang around.
Kick off is at 3pm GMT.
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