Wayne Pivac’s ageing side are throwing their energies at this Six Nations rather than peering into the distance – to great effect
Wales have reached the stage of the Six Nations where for most of the years since 2007 they have been at their most effective. Vulnerable early on, as players struggle to take the significant step up from regional rugby, they become transformed by the time spent together and
Italy in Rome should prove no more than a worn speed bump as they aim for a fifth grand slam in 16 years.
Not that Wales admit to talking about the grand slam, doffing caps to a team that has lost its last 30 matches in the Six Nations and has not mustered a losing bonus point for the last three years. “Italy are a good team at home, so we know it is going to be tough,” said the full-back, Liam Williams. It is what the players are told to say, a guard against complacency, but even during a period when unusual results are not the exception they were, any team with the pretensions to be champions should be talking themselves up rather than opponents who reckon they are eight years away from being competitive.