Wales aim to avoid Wooden Spoon against Italy
Alyssa D’Inca (L) and Alex Callender are renowned for their work at the breakdown
- Published
Women's Six Nations: Wales v Italy
Venue: Principality Stadium Date: Saturday, 27 April Kick off: 12:15 BST
Coverage: Live on BBC One Wales, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru and the BBC Sport website and app. Highlights - Scrum V Sunday, 28 April; BBC Two Wales from 18:00 BST and later on demand.
Wales will be looking to beat Italy at home for the first time in 12 years to avoid the Women’s Six Nations Wooden Spoon.
Wales need at least a bonus-point win at Principality Stadium on Saturday if they are to avoid five losses for the first time in their history.
It is a stark contrast to 12 months ago when Wales celebrated their best Six Nations finish in 13 years with a record victory in Parma, but they have yet to rediscover that form.
Italy have one win under their belt and start the day in fourth, but could rise to third depending on the result between Ireland and Scotland.
England and France will once again compete for the Grand Slam in the final game of the campaign, with the Red Roses going for a sixth consecutive title.
- Published25 April
- Published25 April
- Published24 April
There is more at stake this year than just Six Nations placings, qualification for next year’s Rugby World Cup is also on the line.
Hosts England are guaranteed a spot, along with France who were semi finalists in 2022.
The team that finishes third in the Six Nations will automatically join them, with the remaining places to be decided in other tournaments, including WXV this autumn.
Wales can qualify for WXV2 with a bonus-point win and if Italy leave Cardiff empty handed, but then the hosts must also rely on Ireland losing to Scotland with no bonus-point and getting a better points difference than Ireland and Italy.
If Wales finish bottom they will play Spain in a play-off to get into WXV2, with the loser going into WXV3.
Wales 'have to win' against Italy, says head coach Ioan Cunningham
Team news
Wales
Wales have made four personnel changes and one positional switch for this must-win match.
With Jasmine Joyce and Kayleigh Powell back on GB Sevens duty, Jenny Hesketh returns as full-back and Lisa Neumann to the wing.
Hannah Bluck gets her first start of the campaign at centre, with Carys Cox moving back to the other wing.
Keira Bevan is preferred to Sian Jones at scrum-half, with the pack unchanged from last weekend’s 40-0 defeat by France.
Kelsey Jones and Nel Metcalfe are both fit to take up places on the bench, while Niamh Terry could make a first outing.
Italy
Italy have also made changes in their backs, with Emma Stevanin given the nod at fly-half in place of Veronica Madia who drops to the bench.
Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi moves to the wing, allowing Beatrice Capomaggi to start at full-back.
Alyssa D'Inca comes in to outside centre, while the captain Elisa Giordano packs down at number eight.
On the bench, Lucia Gai is set to become only the second Italian to reach 100 caps - a record previously held solely by Sara Barattin.
Views from both camps
Wales centre and captain Hannah Jones said: “If we focus on the process I am sure the result will come.
“Italy are an exciting team, you’ve got Beatrice Rigoni in that 12 jersey who pulls the strings for the backline. They are an offloading team, if you allow them to get momentum they are hard to stop.
“We’ll target that, slow the ball down and make sure we kill that energy.”
Italy forward Isabella Locatelli said: “It will definitely not be an easy match, even if they conceded more points than people were predicting against France and Ireland.
"We saw in their first match against Scotland how they can play when they’re at their best.
“It shows that the level of sport is rising. It is good that we have this sort of situation because that is what sport is all about. It is great to see and shows a good level of competition.”
Wales were 36-10 winners in Parma last year, their biggest win over Italy
Line-ups
Wales: Jenny Hesketh; Lisa Neumann, Hannah Jones (capt), Hannah Bluck, Carys Cox; Lleucu George, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Carys Phillips, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Natalia John, Abbie Fleming, Alisha Butchers, Alex Callender, Georgia Evans.
Replacements: Kelsey Jones, Abbey Constable, Donna Rose, Kate Williams, Gwennan Hopkins, Sian Jones, Niamh Terry, Nel Metcalfe.
Italy: Beatrice Capomaggi; Aura Muzzo, Alyssa D’Inca, Beatrice Rigoni; Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi; Emma Stevanin, Sofia Stefan; Silvia Turani, Vittoria Vecchini, Sara Seye, Sara Tounesi, Giordana Duca, Ilaria Arrighetti, Francesca Sgorbini, Elisa Giodano (capt).
Replacements: Laura Gurioli, Gaia Maris, Lucia Gai, Valeria Fedrighi, Isabella Locatelli, Beatrice Veronese, Veronica Madia, Francesca Granzotto.
Match facts
Head to head
Italy have a superior head to head record (W8, L7, D1)
Wales won the first three meetings, but have since won just four of the last 13
Curiously both teams have better records in away games
Wales last beat Italy at home in 2012 at what was then called Millennium Stadium
Since 2010, nine of 13 games have been decided by seven points or fewer
Wales
Alex Callender is the only player to have completed 60+ tackles in the 2024 Six Nations (65)
Carys Cox has made 22 tackles without missing any, the most of any player to have maintained a 100% success rate in this year’s Championship
Italy
Alyssa D’Inca has won at least three more turnovers than any other player in the Six Nations (seven) while she has averaged 15.6m per carry this year, the best rate of any player to run with the ball on 10 or more occasions
Italy are the only team to have made 10 or more turnover-winning tackles in the Six Nations (13)
Match officials
Referee: Aimee Barrett-Theron (SARU)
Assistant referees: Sara Cox (RFU), Chelsea Gillespie (SRU)
TMO: Rachel Horton (RA)