So much for feeling. This should be a day to celebrate two of Wales’ greats. Alun Wyn Jones and Dan Biggar earned their 150th and 100th Test caps for their country respectively. Cardiff’s grand arena was basked in glorious sunshine. They played a team on a 36-game losing streak in the Six Nations. What could go wrong?
When Josh Adams fired a solo attempt with 10 minutes left, he looked to give his team an undeserved victory. The red men were turgid, uncreative, and ill-disciplined. But Biggar’s conversion meant they had a 21-15 lead. They were back in control.
Then Ange Capuozzo collected the ball deep into his own half with a minute left. The diminutive full-back lined up the afterburner and galloped field as if those around him were beating through Porridge. He slipped Adams’ tackle and then rounded off Louis Rees-Zammit. Instead of turning the corner, he intelligently passed to Edoardo Padovani, who jumped under the pole. Paolo Garbisi’s conversion tore up a fairy tale script, underlining that some could have predicted.
Wales coach Wayne Pivac said his players had “unacceptable performance”. Adam Beard, Wales’s vice-captain, spoke for the team as he said: “For many of us, this is our worst experience in a Welsh jersey.” Biggar, the captain, was equally damned and issued a warning for his accusation: “It may be the last chance for some of these players.” But that’s just one side of the story.
This is the first victory for Italy over Wales after 16 defeats and their first in Cardiff. They had not won a Six Nations game in seven years. The call to cancel them and replace them with South Africa has grown into a scream. The votes were cast by a young team that is still far from its true potential.
They started bright and stood after a penalty from all Garbisi and Padovani 6-0 for. Their aggression on the ground seemed to surprise Wales and it took more than half an hour for Wales to find their groove. A turnover in their own 22m was quickly moved into the field with Rees-Zammit and Uilisi Halaholo at the top. Taulupe Faletau hit Owen Watkin’s run and the center shot owner Pietro Ceccarelli.
Welsh inaccuracy, however, kept Italy in contention and two more penalties pushed the nose Azzurri 12-7 before. The gap would have widened if Capuozzo had managed to score a loose ball after Garbisi’s cross-kick on Montanna Ioane. But Italy was well worth their first half-time lead in the tournament since 2019.
Wales were weak from the restart and needed a great tackle from Adams for refusing Ioane an attempt in the left corner. That seems to scare the home team, with Biggar attacking the line with more ambition. He proved his worth by scoring a kickable penalty for touch at 50 minutes. It proved the right decision as Dewi Lake bulldozed out of the resulting mouth. Biggar’s two points mean that the lead changed hands for the fourth time.
It changed again as Capuozzo and Ioane constructed a counter from inside their experimental area. Another penalty on the pitch gave Garbisi a slight three points.
Wales looked so rudderless from the competition. An inability to win the physical battle on the winning line was compounded by a lack of spark in the midfield. If they were to get back into it, they would need an unlikely touch of class.
It came from Adams. Many malignant after his failed test in the center against Ireland, he collected a pass over his head at 69 minutes with his heels touching his left wing.
He is offered inside with little. He kept stepping on it and quickly found nothing but space as a barrier between him and the line. That seems to beat the zeal from Italy. Wyn Jones was kept on the line shortly afterwards, though that seemed inconsistent as Wales were anything but sure of a horrific victory.
But Capuozzo would have said the final. He would also have won the player-of-the-match medal if the original recipient, Adams, had given it to him while he was draping the flag in his country. It was a fitting end to a game that ended with some Italian players in tears.
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With an average age of 23, Italy is the youngest squad in the competition and benefits from a fruitful program under 20 years. Garbisi is 21. Capuozzo is 22. Michele Lamaro, the captain, is 23.
It will be a small consolation for two Welsh greats or those who admire them, but this remarkable triumph could one day be remembered as a starting pad for higher honors.
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