FORZA ITALIA!
Wales stunned as inspired Italy end their 36-game losing streak in style
UTTER embarrassment for Wales. Joy unconfined for Italy.
What should have been a day to remember for two Welsh greats in Dan Biggar and Alun Wyn Jones turned into the stuff of nightmares.
Wayne Pivac’s side should be embarrassed to have produced a display of such abysmal paucity. It was as bad as it gets for those of a Welsh persuasion.
For Italy, it was a first Six Nations win since 2015 as they finally ended a run of 36 straight Championship defeats. They deserved it too as they showed two fingers to the critics who believe they have no place among the northern hemisphere elite.
‘It’s simply not good enough,’ said Biggar, his 100th Wales cap ruined by a shock loss. ‘I don’t know where we go. So many facets of the game weren’t good enough. It was so poor. It’s probably the last chance for a lot of players.’
Wales weren’t just bad, they were unmotivated, lethargic, and made so many basic errors it almost beggared belief. Like Biggar, the great Jones was also celebrating a milestone game with his 150th cap. Both players will want to forget this day and quickly, but it’s unlikely they will be able to.
‘It’s a bitter pill to swallow,’ admitted Wales head coach Pivac. ‘We are going to get criticism and rightly so. It is very disappointing. It was an unacceptable performance.’
Jones became the first player to win 150 caps for a single nation. His match ended in defeat, as did his first, 50th and 100th Wales Tests.
Josh Adams looked like he had saved Wales’ bacon with a 69thminute try, but Pivac’s side left the door open for Italy all day and they finally smashed it down.
Outstanding Azzurri full-back Ange Capuozzo, still just 22, set off on a searing late run. He went past Taulupe Faletau, Adams and Kieran Hardy and after a moment of brilliance, was calmness personified as he passed inside to Edoardo Padovani, leaving Biggar helpless.
Capuozzo’s genius allowed Padovani to score next to the posts. Paolo Garbisi needed a simple conversion to win it. He fell to the floor in tears after kicking the goal.
Italy’s players deservedly went wild with delight.
Wales had planned a party on the pitch to celebrate Biggar’s and Jones’ achievements. That was swiftly pulled and instead, against all the odds, it was Italy left to do the dancing.
It had, after all, been a long seven years.
Biggar stormed off at full-time, hurling his boots to the floor in frustration.
His vice-captain Adam Beard appeared for the post-match press conference and said: ‘For some of us, it’s our worst experience in a Welsh jersey.’
Wales never got going from the first whistle. To be so poor is one thing, but to not be up for the fight is simply inexcusable. Pivac’s side struggled at the breakdown and gave away penalties.
It allowed Garbisi and Padovani to boot Italy into a 12-7 interval lead.
Wales crossed in the first half through Owen Watkin and Dewi Lake added a second after the interval, but Italy were always in the contest.
Garbisi put them back ahead and although it looked like Adams would help Wales inch home, they hadn’t banked on Capuozzo.
Adams gave his man-of-the-match medal to Capuozzo at the final whistle.
Wales thought they had scored a fourth try and sealed a bonus-point win through Wyn Jones, but the score was ruled out and Italy then went the length of the field to win it.
Pivac’s side, champions in 2021, were consigned to fifth this year as a result.
‘A lot of the criticism which has come our way has been justified with 36 defeats in a row, but people certainly can’t say that now which is pleasing for us,’ said Italy head coach Kieran Crowley.
‘We have grown a lot in this Six Nations and the players now will have confidence and belief. We have to build on this now and make sure it’s not a one-off result.’