ITALY v WALES: 6 Nations International Championship

01.02.2014

Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff

Referee: John Lacey (Ireland)

Preview
Wales will be looking for a good start to their 2014 6 Nations campaign. Their aim will be to win this competition for the second year in a row.

Italy have recalled some veterans to their team in Mauro Bergamasco and Marco Bortolami but the reality is is that Italy has struggled to play consistently at a high level. They will struggle against what looks to be a very strong Welsh side.

Last Five Encounters
23.02.2013 Wales 26-9 in Rome (6 Nations)
10.03.2012 Wales 24-3 in Cardiff (6 Nations)
26.02.2011 Wales 24-16 in Rome (6 Nations)
20.03.2010 Wales 33-10 in Cardiff (6 Nations)
14.03.2009 Wales 20-15 in Rome (6 Nations)
Italy last defeated Wales in 2007, winning 23-20 in Rome. Italy has never won in Cardiff

GWC Rugby Rankings:
World Table: Wales 6th, Italy 13th
Europe Table: Wales 3rd, Italy 6th

IRB Ranking Points
Wales 80.10, Italy 73.13

Prediction: Wales by 15 points

Teams

Wales

15		Leigh Halfpenny	Cardiff Blues
14		Alexander Cuthbert	Cardiff Blues
13		Scott Williams	Llanelly Scarlets
12		James Roberts	Racing-Metro 92, France
11		George North	Northampton Saints, England
10		Rhys Priestland	Llanelly Scarlets
9		Michael Phillips	Bayonne, France
8		Tobias Faletau	Newport Gwent Dragons
7		Justin Tupuric	Neath Swansea Ospreys
6		Daniel Lydiate	Racing-Metro 92, France
5		Alyn-Wyn Jones (Capt.)	Neath Swansea Ospreys
4		Luke Charteris	USA  Perpignan, France
3		Adam Jones	Neath Swansea Ospreys
2		Richard Hibbard	Neath Swansea Ospreys
1		Paul James	Bath Rugby, England
16		Kenneth Owens	Llanelly Scarlets
17		Ryan Bevington	Neath Swansea Ospreys
18		Rhodri Jones	Llanelly Scarlets
19		Andrew Coombs	Newport Gwent Dragons
20		Samuel Warburton	Cardiff Blues
21		Rhys Webb	Neath Swansea Ospreys
22		James Hook	USA  Perpignan, France
23		Liam Williams	Llanelly Scarlets
		HEAD COACH: Warren Gatland

Italy

15		Luke McLean	Treviso
14		Angelo Esposito	Treviso
13		Michele Campagnaro	Treviso
12		Alberto Sgarbi	Treviso
11		Leonardo Sarto	Zebre Rugby
10		Tommaso Allan	USAP Perpignan, France
9		Edoardo Gori	Treviso
8		Sergio Parisse (Capt.)	Stade Francais, France
7		Mauro Bergamasco	Zebre Rugby
6		Alessandro Zanni	Treviso
5		Marco Bortolami	Zebre Rugby
4		Quintin Geldenhuys	Zebre Rugby
3		Martin Castrogiovanni	Toulon RC, France
2		Leonardo Ghiraldini	Treviso
1		Michele Rizzo	Treviso
16		Davide Giazzon	Zebre Rugby
17		Alberto De Marchi	Treviso
18		Lorenzo Cittadini	Treviso
19		Joshua Furno	Biarritz Olympique, France
20		Francesco Minto	Treviso
21		Tobais Botes	Treviso
22		Luciano Orquera	Zebre Rugby
23		Tommaso Iannone	Zebre Rugby
		HEAD COACH: Jacques Brunel