Wales v Italy LIVE: Result and reaction from Six Nations as brilliant Azzurri stun struggling hosts
Wales 21-24 Italy: The Azzurri outclassed Wales to seal a best-ever Six Nations campaign of two wins and a draw
Wales slipped to a dismal end to a testing Six Nations campaign as a spirited and resurgent Italy impressed in Cardiff to win 24-21 in the first of three fascinating contests to round out the 2024 championship.
Warren Gatland’s side had the emotional factor of George North playing his final game for his country after announcing his shock retirement following 120 caps but an appalling first half saw them trail the Azzurri 11-0 at the break.
Lorenzo Pani added to their woe with a gorgeous solo score after the break and a couple of penalties put them out of sight before Will Rowlands and Mason Grady grabbed consolation tries at the death, although it couldn’t stop Wales slipping to a deserved wooden spoon.
The hosts had been hoping to snap a poor run in the Six Nations but have claimed just two wins from the last 16 games, while the Azzurri have fresh optimism of a great era after securing their best-ever Six Nations campaign with two wins and a draw.
Relive all the action
Wales 0-11 Italy, 31 minutes
Italy engage in the attacking inaccuracy, a switchback to the blindside from the scrum better in conception than execution. There are some funky shapes being thrown at Wales, though, Paolo Garbisi again probing the short side but getting too much on his chip for Lorenzo Pani, the ball springing up like a frog over Pani’s outstretched arms.
Wales 0-11 Italy, 29 minutes
A prolonged period of kick tennis ends with - you guessed it - a Welsh error, neither Cameron Winnett nor Sam Costelow authoritative in their call as each eyes an up-and-under as it plummets. The pair get themselves in a tangle and grant Italy a scrum 15 metres out.
Giacomo Nicotera will not be part of it - the Italy hooker is off for an HIA. Gianmarco Lucchesi comes on.
Wales 0-11 Italy, 27 minutes
Wales flip the field but captain fantastic comes up with the turnover! Tomos Williams, George North and Josh Adams make merry in the wide channels, a three-pronged vehicle keeping the ball alive smartly as they advance, but Michele Lamaro limpets over the ball as soon as the carrying body hits the deck and prevents progress beyond his own 22-metre line. He’s been properly back to his best in this campaign, the openside.
Wales 0-11 Italy, 26 minutes
Scrum penalty - into Wales’ 22 Italy go.
Federico Ruzza just about pats back Giacomo Nicoteraa’s throw, allowing a teammate to pick up the loose pieces. That’s ugly, though, Paolo Garbisi’s cross kick struck horribly and allowing Rio Dyer to get a foot in, and Wales soon have the ball in their hands.
Wales 0-11 Italy, 24 minutes
The stadium DJ throws on “Hymns and Arias” but, for once, the Welsh crowd don’t seem up for a sing-song. Warren Gatland wears a face of stone in the coaches’ box, displeased at something that attack coach Alex King shows him on the laptop. It could have been about nine or ten clips from these opening skirmishes.
Wales 0-11 Italy, 24 minutes
Oh, Wales - this is brutal. A hurried hash of a backs move to the right is all higgledy-piggledy, Cameron Winnett taken man and ball and knocking on.
Monty Ioane’s opening try was rather sharper stuff:
Wales 0-11 Italy, 22 minutes
This is probably Wales’ worst 20 minutes of the championship so far - which is saying something after the first half against Scotland and final quarter last week against France. Dafydd Jenkins gathers the troops before taking a scrum option from a free kick awarded the hosts’ way at the lineout. Wales need their leaders to stand up and cut out the basic errors.
TRY! Wales 0-11 ITALY (Monty Ioane try, 20 minutes)
A Welsh defender hits the deck and Monty Ioane dives over!
A deft little flick out the back from Juan Ignacio Brex and Ioane coasts home! It was Nick Tompkins on the floor in front of him, Tommaso Menoncello’s dummy line doing the job of fixing the defender and his little brush of Tompkins deemed legal by the officials, opening the space through which Ioane could roll in untouched.
A poor miss from Paolo Garbisi but an outstanding opening quarter for Italy.
Wales 0-6 Italy, 18 minutes
Dillon Lewis then is penalised at the scrum. Worying for Wales.
And Italy make the most of the penalty, Tommaso Menoncello and Monty Ioane breaking the line! Federico Ruzza and Niccolo Cannone go close with advantage coming - can Italy punch over from a metre out?...
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