How Wales rated
LIAM WILLIAMS
Back in his favourite position, but hardly back with a bang. Missed Matteo Minozzi as the fullback skipped over for a try and sin-binned before break for forceful tackle the referee viewed as illegal. Subbed on 51 minutes.
GEORGE NORTH
Ended a tough week on a high, scoring Wales’s 200th Six Nations try as he supported Owen Watkins’s superb longrange break and was on hand to complete double with a well-taken score midway through second half. North also achieved a turnover. A fine return.
OWEN WATKIN
Kept his cool when intercepting and breaking out of defence for George North’s early try, looking for support and not panicking. Another lovely pass in the second half was a highlight and he defended well. Plenty of promise here.
STEFF EVANS
Wales’s coaches like him because he is a start-up player who gets things going for team, but Italy did what they could to deny Evans space. He put in a few inventive kicks infield and tried to provide a spark, even if it didn’t always come off.
GARETH ANSCOMBE
No pyrotechnics from the Cardiff Blue, but no disasters, either. Nice chip and gather promised something until Italian defence regrouped. Defended well and kicked his goals, but the fly-half debate will rumble on, with Rhys Patchell catching the eye off the bench.
GARETH DAVIES
Couldn’t stop Minozzi when Italian No. 15 made his way towards the Welsh line for his try and had a try scrubbed out when he strayed offside as Steff Evans kicked infield. One significant charge-down, but found it hard to do much more to impact positively on game. Yellow card was needless.
STAR MAN HADLEIGH PARKES
Took advantage of joke tackling to score his third try in five Tests for Wales, but what really impressed about him was his expert decision-making. Every side needs a Hadleigh Parkes.
NICKY SMITH
A steady shift from the Osprey. Achieved an important ruck turnover deep in home territory and was part of a sound Welsh scrum. Will stay in the selection picture.
ELLIOT DEE
Great charge-down in opening half and also busy in loose. A perfect display at the line-out, which isn’t to be sniffed at, either.
TOMAS FRANCIS
Made an impressive 10 tackles before the break and also scrummaged well and made a mark at the breakdown, achieving a turnover. The odd discipline issue, but Francis battled strongly and had a sound game.
CORY HILL
One of the livelier Welsh forwards during the first 40 and earned reward by ploughing through a gap for a well-taken try after the break. He needed to step up to the plate after struggling to get into the game against Ireland and there was plenty to build on here.
BRADLEY DAVIES
His dad always bets on him scoring for Wales: there’s another fiver down the drain, then. But Davies grafted selflessly throughout in a solid effort.
JUSTIN TIPURIC
Out of position but never out of his depth. One possession rip and many good tackles, plus a pass to die for out of contact which came close to setting up a try out wide for Steff Evans. Showed his skills down the left in the second half and deserved his try.
TAULUPE FALETAU (C)
A decent first outing as skipper. Hit Tomasso Allan so hard with one tackle that were the Italian a car he would have needed a panel or two replacing. Some good carrying in the second half and successfully coaxed his side past the winning post.
JAMES DAVIES
Wales’s breakdown effort had been such a farce against Ireland you half-expected a trouserless Brian Rix to pop up. Davies signalled his arrival in Test rugby with a turnover after two minutes and stayed eager throughout, making 18 tackles.
Wales: L. Williams, North, Watkin, Parkes, S. Evans, Anscombe G. Davies, Smith, Dee, Francis, Hill, B. Davies, Tipuric J. Davies, Faletau. Reps: Owens, R. Evans, Lee, S. Davies, Jenkins A. Davies, Patchell, Halfpenny. Italy: Minozzi, Benvenuti, Bisegni, Castello, Bellini, Allan Violi, Lovotti, Ghiraldini, Ferrari, Zanni, Budd, Negri, Mbanda Parisse. Reps: Fabiani, Quaglio, Pasquali, Ruzza, Licata Palazzani, Canna, Hayward. Referee: Jerome Garces (France)