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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.
Italy’s Edoardo Padovani is mobbed by his teammates after scoring the match-winning try
Padovani had the last laugh as Italy picked up their first Six Nations win since 2015
Paolo Garbisi’s kicking helped Italy open up a first half lead at the Principality Stadium
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 the 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 head coach Pivac. ‘We’re going to get criticism and rightly so. It is very, 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 69th minute 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 completely helpless.
Owen Watkin raced through to score the first try of the match for Wales on Saturday afternoon
Hooker Dewi Lake scored Wales’ second try to give his side the lead in the second half
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 five 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 Wales jersey.’
Josh Adams weaved his way through to score Wales’ third try with 12 minutes remaining
It was not the afternoon that Dan Biggar would have hoped for as he earned his 100th cap
Alun Wyn Jones also had a disappointing afternoon as he made his 150th appearance for Wales
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.
Wayne Pivac’s side end their campaign with one victory after winning the tournament last year
Pivac’s side, champions in 2021, were consigned to fifth this year as a result.
‘A lot of the criticism that 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’ve 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.’
It was an afternoon to remember for Italy who upset the odds to triumph in Cardiff
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