HILL HANDED WALES START
WAYNE Pivac says that Wales will not be getting ahead of themselves when his players face the penultimate test of a possible Grand Slam season.
The form-book suggests Wales should encounter few problems against Italy in Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash. They have beaten the Azzurri in 15 successive Tests, while it is six years since Italy won a Six Nations game against any opponent.
With France looming in a possible Grand Slam showdown next week, it would be easy for Wales to take a collective eye off the ball at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico this weekend – but head coach Pivac is having none of it.
He has made just two changes, with scrum-half Gareth Davies taking over from his injured Scarlets colleague Kieran Hardy, and lock Cory Hill starting instead of Adam Beard.
“There are two very important games to go, and it is about getting results,” Pivac said. “Don’t expect us to be throwing it around willy-nilly.
“We have got a job to do, and we have got to get on top of this Italian side before you see any of that sort of razzle-dazzle.”
Victory over Italy would tighten Wales’ grip on the Six Nations title race following their Triple Crownclinching success against England last time out, and also leave them one win away from achieving a second Grand Slam in three seasons.
But Pivac added: “What the England game has done is put us in a great position, but we don’t want to undo the good work that has been done in the first three matches.
“For us, it is about the performance, and we are not overly happy with the full 80 minutes yet.
“We are doing some things very well in games, and I think most people would agree that we are improving in different areas, but we have still got a long way to go.
“It is about us maintaining the momentum that is building, and the confidence that comes with that.”
Changes on the bench include places for Cardiff Blues prop Rhys Carre and Scarlets lock Jake Ball, who will win his 50th cap if he goes on at Stadio Olimpico.
Wales: Liam Williams (Scarlets); L Rees-Zammit (Gloucester), G North (Ospreys), J Davies (Scarlets), J Adams (Cardiff Blues); D Biggar (Northampton), G Davies (Scarlets); W Jones (Scarlets), K Owens (Scarlets), T Francis (Exeter), C Hill (Cardiff Blues), A W Jones (Ospreys, capt), J Navidi (Cardiff Blues), J Tipuric (Ospreys), T Faletau (Bath). Reps: E Dee (Dragons), R Carre (Cardiff Blues), L Brown (Dragons), J Ball (Scarlets), A Wainwright (Dragons), Lloyd Williams (Cardiff Blues), C Sheedy (Bristol), W Halaholo (Cardiff Blues).