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
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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