14.03.2024 Views

Wales vs Italy

The official matchday programme of the Welsh Rugby Union Wales vs Italy | Guinness Six Nations 2024 Saturday 16th March, 2024 | KO 2.15pm | Principality Stadium

The official matchday programme of the Welsh Rugby Union
Wales vs Italy | Guinness Six Nations 2024
Saturday 16th March, 2024 | KO 2.15pm | Principality Stadium

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

SATURDAY 16 MARCH 2024 | DYDD SADWRN 16 MAWRTH 2024<br />

GUINNESS SIX NATIONS 2024 | WALES V ITALY | CYMRU V YR EIDAL<br />

The maths’ surrounding today’s game is critical. After<br />

their win over Scotland in Rome last weekend, fifthplaced<br />

<strong>Italy</strong> moved onto seven points, four ahead<br />

of <strong>Wales</strong> in sixth. It means that if the Italians avoid<br />

defeat they will remain above <strong>Wales</strong>. In fact, even if <strong>Italy</strong><br />

lose, they can still hold position in the basement battle.<br />

Their superior points<br />

difference of -37 to <strong>Wales</strong>’ -48<br />

means it could come down<br />

to more than simply winning<br />

the game. <strong>Wales</strong> will avoid the<br />

dreaded Wooden Spoon if:<br />

They beat <strong>Italy</strong> with a<br />

bonus-point and deny<br />

<strong>Italy</strong> a bonus-point<br />

They beat <strong>Italy</strong> by more<br />

than five points and both<br />

sides pick up a bonus-point<br />

They beat <strong>Italy</strong> by more than<br />

seven points and neither<br />

side earns a bonus-point<br />

The bookies have made<br />

<strong>Italy</strong> slight favourites to<br />

finish above <strong>Wales</strong> and<br />

make it three games in a<br />

row without defeat in the<br />

tournament for the first<br />

time following their draw<br />

in France and magnificent<br />

win over Scotland at Stadio<br />

Olimpico. Nobody is shying<br />

away from the importance of<br />

the game, and the result, as<br />

<strong>Wales</strong> attempt to avoid a first<br />

Wooden Spoon in 21 years.<br />

“We’ve had to fight for our<br />

lives in the first four games<br />

and there is definitely not<br />

a lack of commitment and<br />

fight from the boys. We’ve<br />

got be better this week,” said<br />

<strong>Wales</strong> lock Adam Beard.<br />

“It was an unbelievable win for<br />

<strong>Italy</strong> against Scotland. They<br />

are probably going to be on a<br />

massive high coming to the<br />

Principality Stadium, so we<br />

know we have got be right<br />

on our game to get a victory.<br />

“If we’re being totally honest,<br />

five years or so ago you might<br />

10<br />

/WELSHRUGBYUNION

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!