Wales v Italy 6 Nations - Saturday 1st Feb 2020 - match thread

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Wales v Italy match thread

Wales



Italy





Teams:

Wales:

L Halfpenny (Scarlets); J McNicholl (Scarlets), G North (Ospreys), H Parkes (Scarlets), J Adams (Cardiff Blues); D Biggar (Northampton), T Williams (Cardiff Blues); W Jones (Scarlets), K Owens (Scarlets), D Lewis (Cardiff Blues), J Ball (Scarlets), A W Jones (Ospreys, capt), A Wainwright (Dragons), J Tipuric (Ospreys), T Faletau (Bath).

Replacements: R Elias (Scarlets), R Evans (Scarlets), L Brown (Dragons), C Hill (Dragons), R Moriarty (Dragons), R Webb (Toulon), J Evans (Cardiff Blues), N Tompkins (Saracens)


15. Matteo Minozzi (Wasps) – 16 caps
14. Leonardo Sarto (Benetton Rugby) – 34 caps
13. Luca Morisi (Benetton Rugby) – 29 caps
12. Carlo Canna (Zebre) – 39 caps
11. Mattia Bellini (Zebre) – 22 caps
10. Tommaso Allan (Benetton Rugby) – 54 caps
9. Callum Braley (Gloucester) – 5 caps

1. Giosuè Zilocchi (Zebre) – 2 caps
2. Luca Bigi (c) (Zebre) – 24 caps
3. Andrea Lovotti (Zebre) – 40 caps
4. Alessandro Zanni (Benetton Rugby) – 117 caps
5. Niccolò Cannone (Benetton Rugby) – uncapped
6. Sebastian Negri (Benetton Rugby) – 22 caps
7. Jake Polledri (Gloucester) – 13 caps
8. Abraham Steyn (Benetton Rugby) – 36 caps

Replacements

16. Federico Zani (Benetton Rugby) – 13 caps
17. Danilo Fischetti (Zebre) – uncapped
18. Marco Riccioni (Benetton Rugby) – 7 caps
19. Marco Lazzaroni (Benetton Rugby) – 4 caps
20. Dean Budd (Benetton Rugby) – 26 caps
21. Giovanni Licata (Zebre) – 8 caps
22. Guglielmo Palazzani (Zebre) – 36 caps
23. Jayden Hayward (Benetton Rugby) – 23 caps

[BigGee]

Another try for Adams from an outrageous through the legs pass from Biggar

21-0 Wales

Think it is game over now for Italy, it is just about the BP for Wales now

[TightHEAD]

Italy are dreadful.

Anyone else see Jake Balls forearm to the back of the head on the Italian 10?

[majesticimperialman]

It is men against boys so far. Wales deserve there lead. Italy just cannot seem to get any forward momentum in to the Welsh goal area.

[TightHEAD]

Backchat from players should automatically be a penalty against you

[RDW]

Wales looking strong and organised. This is basically a training game so far! Good warmup for the rest of the tournament.

[tigertattie]

Italy. Getting nothing but bad luck.

Also rather knickers.

[Gooseberry]

The welsh backs seem to be enjoying the freedom to play. Maybe fin russell should've found a welsh grandparent? Its grand at home against team like italy at home who dont really have much to offer in the pack but the real test will be against the likes of England south africa.
Positive signs for Wales anyway, it looks like the team is very much on board with the Pivac way of playing and Biggar in particular seems reinvigorated by being allowed to express himself.

[BigGee]

That was a pretty poor pass from Williams , straight into Allen's hands!

[tigertattie]

That was a pretty poor pass from Williams , straight into Allen's hands!

I think even the welsh players have turned off because the Italians have been so rotten

[BigGee]

Poor lineout from Italy

Poor all round really, have not fired a shot

[mikey_dragon]

Still not seeing it with Dillon Lewis.

[mikey_dragon]

Poor lineout from Italy

Poor all round really, have not fired a shot

Well their lineout throwing and jumping is pretty good, but not so much there after. Their back look good in attack but some are too small.

[TightHEAD]

Poor start to the 6 nations.

Maybe we should have a world league.

[RiscaGame]

Pretty good half for Wales. To be two tries up already is pretty key for getting the bonus.

Lovely pass from Tompkins for Adams’ first. Tomos Williams is electric.

[bsando]

Disappointing from Italy, so many penalties and missing touch after that brilliant scrum against Wales was just awful by Tomaso. They do look alright in attack though when they string some phases but they have to maintain their discipline better and protect the ball.

[bsando]

Dan Biggar and Johnny Nicol impressed me in that half. McNicol adds a new dimension to the Welsh attack, which in the past has been a little rigid at times.

[majesticimperialman]

It will be interesting to see if Italy can get any points in the second half.

So far Wales do not look like they are giving Italy much of a chance to get any points.

Lets see how the second half goes. Italy do usually score ( some points ) in the game.

[BigGee]

Disappointing from Italy, so many penalties and missing touch after that brilliant scrum against Wales was just awful by Tomaso. They do look alright in attack though when they string some phases but they have to maintain their discipline better and protect the ball.

They are running way to lateral though, no one is straightening the line. Minozzi beats one man and then gets gobbled up by the cover, it is meat and drink to a team as defensively good as Wales.

[tigertattie]

Why do I keep thinking Aaron wainwright is called Rob wainwright?

Is there a Rob wainwright???

[Yoda]

Have Italy ever been poorer, dire. Their u20s would have given Wales a better game. Still you can only play what's in front of you. Wales should treat this second half as a training run and see some different combos in action.

[TightHEAD]

Italy really don't get the rub of the green from Refs though do they?

Ref needs to man up and march back teams who shout at him.

[No 7&1/2]

Well said mikey.

[Guest]

Why do I keep thinking Aaron wainwright is called Rob wainwright?

Is there a Rob wainwright???

He played for Scotland!

[mikey_dragon]

Still unimpressed with Wyn Jones this season, or is it just me? Both props could be overtaken by the end of the tournament.

[BigGee]

Italy's best period of the game and then they turn it over again

[mikey_dragon]

Well done Dillon a Lewis, again.

[LondonTiger]

Why do I keep thinking Aaron wainwright is called Rob wainwright?

Is there a Rob wainwright???

Other than the Scottish one?

[BigGee]

Trying hard to find some positives, Italy scrum been decent and Wales not so convincing. The Irish might fancy a crack at it next weekend

[TightHEAD]

Italy owning scrum time.

[RDW]

Why do I keep thinking Aaron wainwright is called Rob wainwright?

Is there a Rob wainwright???

Other than the Scottish one?

Former Scotland captain and 1997 Lions tourist Rob!

Come on tattie.

[BigGee]

Tompkins scores on his debut

[mikey_dragon]

Thank you Tompkins

[TightHEAD]

Dr Rob Wainwright.

Nice try from the turncoat

[RDW]

Looked like the Welsh player was on the ground when he handled it to turn over.

Shame if it's chalked off as it was a great try!

[Pot Hale]

Italy having no luck in this game.

You’d think Wales would be trouncing them by 35 or more at this point.

[tigertattie]

Looked like the Welsh player was on the ground when he handled it to turn over.

Shame if it's chalked off as it was a great try!

For me Biggar came from offside to pass the ball out the ruck.

Italy dont deserve anything from the ref though. They are just like headless chickens

[BigGee]

Another good assist for Tompkins, I think he might be starting next week

[Rugby Fan]

There's a Saracens prop called Sam Wainwright, who is eligible for Wales and England

https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/featured-post/34027/young-guns-saracens-tighthead-prop-sam-wainwright/

[mikey_dragon]

We aren’t trouncing them because we aren’t that good yet, and our props kept costing us possession and field position.

[BigGee]

But unfortunately he knocked it on, good spot!

[Pot Hale]

Not sure why crowd booing. The 13 clearly knocked it forward.

[TightHEAD]

Tompkins is an Eddie Jones Plant.

[Pot Hale]

We aren’t trouncing them because we aren’t that good yet, and our props kept costing us possession and field position.

Give it time. Italy declining with each passing minute.

[TightHEAD]

Not sure why crowd booing.  The 13 clearly knocked it forward.

Have you never been to the MS?

[TightHEAD]

That was a clear block by 1/2p

[Pot Hale]

Welsh player stepped into Minozzis path there. Nothing from ref.

[Pot Hale]

Not sure why crowd booing.  The 13 clearly knocked it forward.

Have you never been to the MS?

Not in this life.

[Pot Hale]

Italy have made twice as many metres as Wales. And are zero on the scoreboard. So much for stats.

[mikey_dragon]

Italy are off their feet at every breakdown, like they were just then and it messed us up.

[BigGee]

Rhys Webb not having the best of starts

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