6N 2017: Italy v Wales, 5 February

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ITALY v WALES
5 February 2017
15:00 CET (14:00 GMT)
Stadio Olimpico, Rome

Live on DMAX, ITV, RTE, FR2, S4C, BBC (H)

Referee: JP Doyle (England)
Touch judges: Johnny Lacey (Ireland) & Craig Maxwell-Keys (England)
TMO: Rowan Kitt (England)

A. Head to Head

24 Played 24
21 Won 2
1 Drawn 1
2 Lost 21
815 Points 400

B. Recent Form

19 March 2016
Principality Stadium, Cardiff
67 – 14 to Wales

5 September 2015
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
23 – 19 to Wales

21 March 2015
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
20 – 61 to Wales

1 February 2014
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
23 – 15 to Wales

23 February 2013
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
9 – 26 to Wales

10 March 2012
Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
24 – 3 to Wales

C. Teams

ITALY

15-Edoardo Padovani; 14-Giulio Bisegni, 13-Tommaso Benvenuti, 12-Luke McLean 11-Giovanbattista Venditti; 10-Carlo Canna, 9-Edoardo Gori; 1-Andrea Lovotti, 2-Ornel Gega, 3-Lorenzo Cittadini, 4-Marco Fuser, 5-George Biagi, 6-Abraham Steyn, 7-Maxime Mata M'Banda, 8-Sergio Parisse (captain)

Replacements: 16-Leonardo Ghiraldini, 17-Sami Panico, 18-Pietro Ceccarelli, 19-Joshua Furno, 20-Francesco Minto, 21-Giorgio Bronzini, 22-Tommaso Allan, 23-Michele Campagnaro

WALES

15-Leigh Halfpenny; 14-George North, 13-Jonathan Davies, 12-Scott Williams, 11-Liam Williams; 10-Dan Biggar, 9-Rhys Webb; 1-Nicky Smith, 2-Ken Owens, 3-Samson Lee, 4-Jake Ball, 5-Alun Wyn Jones (captain); 6-Sam Warburton, 7-Justin Tipuric, 8-Ross Moriarty

Replacements: 16-Scott Baldwin, 17-Rob Evans, 18-Tomas Francis, 19-Cory Hill, 20-James King, 21-Gareth Davies, 22-Sam Davies, 23-Jamie Roberts

Biggar took a run that maybe he shouldn't and looked hurt when he was on the ground. Looks like rib problems

Italian injury and replacement too. Replay shows that trying to tackle AWJ's knees with your head isnt a good idea

at last, always take the points

Gwlad wrote:Umm, if you're going to just play Gatball then plea bring Doc on

Does look like both teams are playing that way, and at the moment Italy are playing it just a little bit better

Warburton certainly picks his moments.

That was a very solid first half from Italy. Wales look bereft of ideas in attack. Looks like Biggar may be coming off as well which will be a huge blow for Wales.

Wales could be the most frustrating team to watch, full of individual talent and flare but just play a predictable style of rugby. Very little adventure in their play.

eirebilly wrote:That was a very solid first half from Italy. Wales look bereft of ideas in attack. Looks like Biggar may be coming off as well which will be a huge blow for Wales.

Wales could be the most frustrating team to watch, full of individual talent and flare but just play a predictable style of rugby. Very little adventure in their play.

Frustrating, ha ha you have no idea

Bereft is how i feel.

All the way to Rome for this! Absolute pants.

I hope they bring Sam Davies on to mix things up a bit.

We need the ball first though. Hopefully the Italians will tire in the last 20.

What's up with jd2s passing? It seems to have been going downhill over the last few season's.

Lots of kicks behind the defence, all recovered by the defence. This, apparently, is our "Plan B"

FAKE NEWS ALERT

What we're all watching in Rome is actually, obviously, fake. Italy soundly beating Wales, apparently in the real game Wales already have 4 tries and are scoring tries for fun.

What I don't get is that the last 2 6N games against Italy we've scored 60 odd points, played very expansive, running from deep, etc. And that was under 'Warrenball'. So we can play expansive running rugby within the normal 'Warrenball' constraints when we want to. Just seems like today we don't want to.

lostinwales wrote:Biggar took a run that maybe he shouldn't and looked hurt when he was on the ground. Looks like rib problems

Italian injury and replacement too. Replay shows that trying to tackle AWJ's knees with your head isnt a good idea

Not that I wish any player to be injured, but Biggar going off, may allow the Welsh team to attack in the way we all know they can. in my opinion he stifles a side that can attack with real vigour. He is a throwback to Gatball, which I thought the Welsh were trying to move away from. He stands so far back, that when he doesn't kick he allows the opposition to get up right in the faces of the attackers.

On the performance so far, England could play as badly again and still get a result; not much of one mind you.

Gwlad wrote:FAKE NEWS ALERT

What we're all watching in Rome is actually, obviously, fake. Italy soundly beating Wales, apparently in the real game Wales already have 4 tries and are scoring tries for fun.

Have you been asking the Doc for lessons in Trumpisms

carpet baboon wrote:What's up with jd2s passing? It seems to have been going downhill over the last few season's.

he could never pass which is why he used to be such a good finisher, but not anymore. Now he just chucks it in the general direction of the winger

I am lost for words, that was one of the most unimaginative 40mins of rugby I have seen in some time. Wales really need to step this up. Italy are solid and well drilled at best.

Biggar is off, that will not help Wales' cause.

So Alex King has had a huge impact on our attack…..

Gwlad wrote:

carpet baboon wrote:What's up with jd2s passing? It seems to have been going downhill over the last few season's.

he could never pass which is why he used to be such a good finisher, but not anymore. Now he just chucks it in the general direction of the winger

and why, after throwing ridiculous passes, he starts using grubber kicks instead

eirebilly wrote:I am lost for words, that was one of the most unimaginative 40mins of rugby I have seen in some time. Wales really need to step this up. Italy are solid and well drilled at best.

Biggar is off, that will not help Wales' cause.

We are a poor team and have been on the slide for a few years.
For me that stupid New Zealand tour broke the back of this Welsh team 2 years ago.

Biggar being off will probably help because at least Sam Davies is creative, it won't take much to break Italy if we capitalize on a mistake, and score.   Having a poor tournament all round may actually benefit Wales because for several years we've been struggling to mediocre and maybe a poor tournament will mean changes to the coaches.

I don't know why he doesn't get told to knock them grubbers on the head. They're useless.

Betting on Wales finishing 6th is looking good.

oh, Jake Ball's playing.

Gwlad wrote:

Gwlad wrote:

carpet baboon wrote:What's up with jd2s passing? It seems to have been going downhill over the last few season's.

he could never pass which is why he used to be such a good finisher, but not anymore. Now he just chucks it in the general direction of the winger

and why, after throwing ridiculous passes, he starts using grubber kicks instead

Just like an alternative truth, it is an alternative pass

my internet stream has sped up significantly, makes Wales look like quite a decent side, quick off the base and excellent line speed.

Bets on Wales winning 9-7?

lostinwales wrote:Bets on Wales winning 9-7?

I actually do think Wales will get 1-2 tries later in the game, Italy need to tire out first though.

I wouldn't bet on Wales winning anything except for kitchenware right now

I am sorry but that is not even a penalty in my mind.

Is it me, or is the Italian Tight head turning sideways at the last two scrums at least

Frak, rugby is finished if that beautiful tackle is penalized.

I realise it's about player safety. But he held him and went to ground on his back. Hard but fair in my opinion, but I'm not the ref

Italian 6 seems to be gifting the game to Wales with errors and penalties

nought wrong with that, ball was out.

Hmmmm. Doyle seems to be trying to give this game to Wales

Italy following their usual implosion routine.

You could say that Wales are having the luck of the Irish,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Doyle

JP 'limelight' Doyle.

WTF is Doyle running across like that for the bloody fool.

Well Wales had to score there but this is simply poor from Wales. Nice last meter block from JP to stop the Italian defender in at least attempting to tackle JD2 and hold the ball up

There we go with any luck their heads will start to drop now.

Ahem.

I've always said, JD2….World CLASS

When Howley gets sacked as he should do for the first half before enforced change, I am going to apply for his job as I think I have more sense than he does when it comes to picking the blend of players to play the game Wales are best at

Can you yellow card a ref for blocking? Doyle is doing everything he can to give the game to Wales. He's clearly annoyed at the lack of potatoes at the Italian hotel breakfast bar!

Parisse is a mouthy git. Glad to see him getting told off.

The dam has burst. Wales will run away with this now.

tigertattie wrote:Can you yellow card a ref for blocking? Doyle is doing everything he can to give the game to Wales. He's clearly annoyed at the lack of potatoes at the Italian hotel breakfast bar!

Ooooohhhh, you could get roasted for that one tattie

Italy have fallen apart but Davies is making such a difference by playing so flat and he gets it wide so quickly

Rory_Gallagher wrote:Parisse is a mouthy git. Glad to see him getting told off.

He gave Webb a warning for exactly the same thing in the first half. If that was a penalty then he also had to penalise Webb in my opinion.

He had warned Parrise earlier to be fair

Did Wales try and charge down that penalty

Cheers WELL, must have missed that warning. Deserved penalty then.