It may just be the second round of the 2025 Six Nations, but we’re probably looking at the battle to avoid the wooden spoon in Saturday’s opener between Italy and Wales at the Stadio Olimpico.
2025 Six Nations
Italy v Wales
Saturday 8 February – 14:15
Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Both sides come into this one off the back of disappointing defeats with the Welsh taken to task by France and Italy falling off the boil in the second stanza against Scotland.
To Win Match
Italy 46/100 | Draw 25/1 | Wales 2/1
There were hopes of a famous Azzurri win for about 50 minutes of their opener against Scotland with the Italians clawing their way back into the contest through the boot of fullback Tommaso Allan and a great intercept try from Juan Ignacio Brex seeing the Italians creep within a penalty of levelling things.
Huw Jones would then play an absolute blinder with the former Stormers’ and Western Province man grabbing a late second half hat-trick to settle matters and put pay to any Italian hopes of upsetting the Scots at Murrayfield for only the third time in history.
While the Italians were unable to claim a single log point from the game – they lost 31-19 which means they missed out on a losing bonus point by five points – there are positives to take from this one. Their forwards gave a decent account of themselves against the Scots while their centres were excellent despite Huw Jones scoring three, and Allan was solid at the back. They will need more from their halves pairing of Martin Page-Relo and Paolo Garbisi, who were far from flawless at Murrayfield.
Italy may have lost in the opening round, but they at least they were able to take a few positives from their fixture which cannot be said for the Welsh who were absolutely manhandled by the French in their 43-0 defeat. There was little hope for the Dragons, the writing was pretty much on the wall within the first few minutes when they lost centre Owen Watkin after 27 minutes with what looked to be a serious injury. They were already 14 points down and had lost vital backrower Aaron Wainwright to a facial injury. Both men are set to miss the next couple of weeks at a minimum.
It would only get worse from there with France dominating possession and territory while running in a further 29 points with Wales making the scoreboard operators’ day rather easy as they couldn’t muster up a single point of their own.
Verdict: Italy (-7.5) 20/21
Wales are in a right hole at the minute and a loss here would see them extend their losing streak to near on 500 days – their last win was over Georgia at the 2023 Rugby World Cup – with Wainwright and Watkins now out, they are well truly down to the bare bones, and I reckon they’ll struggle against the Italians in hostile territory.
