Italy travel to Wales for their final Six Nations match of 2022 and the team will be aiming to pick up their first win in the tournament since 2015.
Kieran Crowley’s men have built well in the competition but it will be a tough feat to claim victory at the Principality Stadium. Their performance against Scotland last Saturday was impressive, with debutant Ange Capuozzo scoring two tries off the bench, yet it was still a defeat.
Crowley has spoken about how proud he was of his team, saying: “The really pleasing thing is that we did get periods when we were trying to play from an attack perspective and hopefully that can take us forward from a confidence point of view.
“Hopefully we can build on in our next game against Wales, then through the summer and autumn internationals. So that when we come to next year’s Six Nations we’ve got players who have all that experience from another eight or nine Test matches under their belts.”
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the game:
When is Wales vs Italy?
The match will kick-off at 2.15pm on Saturday, 19 March at the Principality Stadium.
How can I watch?
The fixture will be broadcast on BBC One with coverage starting at 1.45pm. Fans can also stream the game on BBC iPlayer.
What’s the team news?
Wales have made seven changes from the starting team who lost to France. In the forwards, Dewi Lake, Alun Wyn Jones and Dillon Lewis get the nod from the off, while in the backs Johnny McNicholl, Louis Rees-Zammit, Uilisi Halaholo and Gareth Davies come into the side.
Despite the return of Jones, Biggar will continue his captaincy duties.
For Italy, Kieran Crowley has made two changes to his starting XV from their match against Scotland. Full back Ange Capuozzo gets his first start after an impressive debut last weekend where he scored two tries off the bench and Federico Ruzza starts ahead of Niccolo Cannone,
Confirmed line-ups
Wales: Johnny McNicholl; Louis Rees-Zammit, Owen Watkin, Uilisi Halaholo, Josh Adams; Dan Biggar (captain), Gareth Davies; Gareth Thomas, Dewi Lake, Dillon Lewis, Adam Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Seb Davies, Josh Navidi, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Bradley Roberts, Wyn Jones, Leon Brown, Will Rowlands, Ross Moriarty, Kieran Hardy, Callum Sheedy, Nick Tompkins.
Italy: Ange Capuozzo; Edoardo Padovani, Juan Ignacio Brex, Leonardo Marin, Montanna Ioane; Paolo Garbisi, Callum Braley; Danilo Fischetti, Giacomo Nicotera, Pietro Ceccarelli, Marco Fuser, Federico Ruzza, Giovanni Pettinelli, Michele Lamaro (captain), Toa Halafihi.
Replacements: Luca Bigi, Cherif Traore, Tiziano Pasquali, David Sisi, Niccolò Cannone, Braam Steyn, Alessandro Fusco, Marco Zanon.
Odds
Wales - 1/200
Draw - 55/1
Italy - 30/1
Prediction
Italy have progressed well throughout the tournament and put in a good display against Scotland last weekend. However, Wales will be able to pull the win out the bag and leave the visitors waiting longer for their first victory in the Six Nations since 2015. Wales 35-15 Italy.
