ROME — The much-coveted wooden spoon for the Six Nations championship appears to be once more heading towards Wales after its defeat against Italy, with a score of 22-15, on Saturday. This match added further disappointment as Wales faces the possibility of finishing at the bottom for the second consecutive time in the tournament’s extensive 142-year history. Now, with particularly tough remaining matches ahead against Ireland, Scotland, and England, the outlook seems grim for the Welsh team.
Warren Gatland, the longest-serving coach for Wales, had already been under pressure prior to this crucial match, since he has been steering the team through a troubling period characterized by a national record 14-game losing streak that began in 2023. Although Gatland received a temporary reprieve following an autumn season without wins, he made it clear that improvement was essential. Unfortunately, there was little evidence of this during the rainy matchup at Stadio Olimpico, where Wales, trailing 19-3 at one point, managed to score two tries compared to Italy’s one.
“Everyone is pretty frustrated,” Gatland expressed after the match. When asked if the team needed to learn how to win, he firmly stated, “Absolutely. When you’re under pressure, your decision-making suffers. You feel the weight of the pressure as a team that hasn’t celebrated a victory in a while. We need some luck on our side.” He also questioned whether he could still break the losing streak, acknowledging the hard work of the players and their clarity about the game plan.
Despite spending the previous week practicing amid sunny conditions on the French Riviera, Wales struggled with its execution when faced with the rainy weather in Rome. The team’s performance for most of the match was marked by ineffective kicking, lack of creativity, and discipline issues. Italy, on the other hand, adapted better to the weather, managing to apply constant pressure on Wales and forcing them to desperately chase points. Italy’s Tommaso Allan capitalized on Wales’ mistakes, taking seven penalty shots and scoring five, significantly contributing to his team’s victory.
This win was monumental for Italy, marking their first consecutive victories over Wales in history and their first home win against them in 18 years. Italy captain Michele Lamaro celebrated the achievement, saying, “This victory is a great accomplishment that has lifted a burden off our shoulders. It will allow us to play more relaxed and challenge our next opponents more effectively by utilizing our strengths.”
Regarding match changes, Wales had to recruit replacement players at the last moment due to injuries. Fullback Liam Williams faced issues with his knee, and lock Dafydd Jenkins fell ill overnight. Blair Murray stepped in effectively, along with Tomos Williams and No. 8 Taulupe Faletau, who played in his first test since 2023, but nonetheless, Italy maintained control throughout the game.
In the first half, notable opportunities for tries were scarce, with Italy efficiently converting their sole chance while Wales squandered two. Italy’s success stemmed from a clever play initiated by flyhalf Paolo Garbisi, who executed a brilliant dummy and grubber kick, leading to a try by Ange Capuozzo. Wales struggled with execution, particularly highlighted when Josh Adams failed to capitalize on two scoring opportunities due to handling errors.
Wales managed to score its first points in the tournament after 97 minutes through Ben Thomas’ penalty; however, the Italian team led 16-3 at halftime, establishing their largest lead against Wales in the Six Nations era. They nearly extended that lead further in the third quarter but missed three consecutive penalty opportunities.
Following Adams’ yellow card for a head-to-head tackle, Italy’s Allan extended the score to 19-3. When Adams returned, Wales fought back to score through replacement Aaron Wainwright and gained a penalty try amid Italy’s ill discipline leading to two sin-binnings. Although Wales brought the score within seven points to earn a losing bonus point, it was almost lost due to yet another penalty given away in their half. Garbisi, however, chose to kick the ball away, sealing a rather celebratory moment for Italy as the match wrapped up.
