Wales 21 Italy 22
Wing Edoardo Padovani scored a late try as Italy stunned their hosts Wales 22-21 to secure a first ever win in Cardiff and end their 36-game losing streak in the Six Nations on Saturday.
A brilliant break from rookie fullback Ange Capuozzo set up the score for Padovani, and when outhalf Paolo Garbisi kicked the conversion from in front of the posts on the final whistle, Italy had secured their magic moment that left some players in tears.
It was fully deserved, too. They bullied the defending Six Nations champions at the breakdown and put in a stout defensive display, something that had been a weakness in recent years, to secure one of the more famous wins in their rugby history and show their continued improvement under coach Kieran Crowley.
Centre Owen Watkin, wing Josh Adams and hooker Dewi Lake scored tries for Waless, who put in a mostly flat performance and missed the chance to celebrate 100 caps for outhalf Dan Biggar and 150 for lock Alun Wyn Jones in the style they would have wished for.
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac made seven changes following a narrow defeat against France last time out, including a first Test start for hooker Lake, while full-back Johnny McNicholl, centre Uilisi Halaholo and prop Dillon Lewis were also among those called up.
Italy made a bright start, with wing Monty Ioane putting early defensive pressure on McNicholl, and it took Wales 10 minutes before they could establish any kind of threatening position inside the Azzurri’s 22.
But that opportunity was wasted after Lake overthrew an attacking lineout and Italy launched possession back downfield before Garbisi booted a 48-metre penalty to open the scoring.
Padovani then doubled Italy’s advantage, matching Garbisi’s long-range strike, and there was a look of lethargy about Wales, underlined when wing Louis Rees-Zammit spilled a scoring pass from McNicholl.
Halaholo then followed suit by dropping the ball following a strong Rees-Zammit break, which ended a dismal opening quarter for last season’s Six Nations champions.
Wales finally stirred 12 minutes before half-time, with Watkin applying a high-class finish following impressive approach work by Rees-Zammit and his fellow wing Adams, before Biggar’s conversion made it 7-6.
But the lead was shortlived, as Wales’ poor discipline allowed Italy chances from distance, and Garbisi and Padovani each kicked penalties from distance during a three-minute spell, giving Italy a five-point advantage.
Wales proved to be their own worst enemies, coughing up possession through poor handling and positioning, with Italy not requiring a second invitation to capitalise on such elementary errors.
Ioane put them back on the front foot as half-time approached, breaking clear from just inside his own half, and Italy finished strongly, securing a 12-7 interval lead.
Pivac made a half-time change, sending on prop Leon Brown for Lewis, while Nick Tompkins replaced Halaholo within five minutes of the restart, as Ioane was then only denied a try by Adams’s brilliant cover-tackle.
Wales went ahead after 52 minutes, though, when they drove a close-range lineout and Lake touched down for a try that Biggar converted.
But the outstanding Ioane responded by launching a thrilling counterattack, then Wales infringed inside their own 22 and Garbisi completed his penalty hat-trick to make it 15-14.
Jones played for an hour on his first appearance more than four months after suffering a shoulder injury, being replaced by Will Rowlands, and Callum Sheedy took up outhalf duties as Biggar moved to fullback instead of McNicholl.
Adams sprinkled a bit of magic on proceedings with his clinching score, but it was a forgettable performance by Wales that provided little cause for optimism ahead of a three-Test South Africa tour in July, with Padovani and Garbisi combining to complete their misery.
