Six Nations round four opened at the Stadio Olimpico this afternoon. A troubled Welsh side headed to Rome desperate to avoid another galling defeat that, with a trip to Paris to come on the final weekend, would surely have left them holding the dreaded wooden spoon for the first time in 20 years.
It had been an utterly miserable tournament for Wales so far despite the return of the messiah Warren Gatland as head coach, opening with three successive defeats to make their worst start since 2007 against a backdrop of an ongoing rugby crisis in the country. However, they delivered a much-improved performance on Saturday, notching four tries in total in a morale-boosting 29-17 triumph.
The Azzurri’s shock last-gasp win in Cardiff 12 months ago ended their 36-match Six Nations losing streak that dated back to 2015 and provided a platform for real growth. However, their wait for a first home victory in the competition will now stretch into an 11th year as they are set to finish bottom of the pile once again, despite a spirited second-half display. Follow Italy vs Wales reaction live below!
