Italy took advantage of the wet conditions early on, with Tommaso Allan slotting a penalty in the seventh minute to give them the lead. Wales responded with a penalty of their own from Freddie Thomas in the 17th minute, but Italy continued to dominate possession and territory.
The breakthrough came in the 20th minute when Ange Capuozzo finished off a well-worked move to score the opening try of the match. Allan converted to extend Italy’s lead to 10-3. The Italians added two more penalties before half-time to go into the break with a commanding 16-3 lead.
Wales struggled to gain a foothold in the match, with handling errors and poor decision-making costing them dearly. Italy continued to control proceedings in the second half, with Allan adding another penalty to stretch the lead to 19-3.
Wales finally found some momentum in the final 10 minutes, with Aaron Wainwright crossing for a try in the 69th minute. A late penalty try gave them hope of a comeback, but Italy held on for a deserved 22-15 victory.
The defeat leaves Wales in danger of finishing bottom of the Six Nations table for the second consecutive year. Warren Gatland’s future as head coach is now under intense scrutiny, with calls for changes to be made following the team’s dismal run of form.
Italy, on the other hand, will take great confidence from their performance and will be looking to build on this result in the remaining matches of the tournament.
The Six Nations continues next weekend with Wales facing Scotland and Italy taking on England in what promises to be another thrilling round of matches.
The rest of the team remained the same, with captain Luca Bigi leading from the front and experienced players like Michele Lamaro and Stephen Varney providing leadership in key positions. Cannone’s inclusion was seen as a positive move by coach Kieran Crowley, who praised the young lock’s work ethic and dedication to the team.
Italy were looking to bounce back from their disappointing performance against Scotland and secure their first win of the tournament. With Cannone now in the starting lineup, the team hoped to improve their set piece play and physicality in the forward pack.
The match against Ireland would be a tough challenge, but the Italian team was determined to put in a strong performance and show their improvement under the new coaching staff. With Cannone adding his skills and determination to the mix, Italy were ready to give it their all and fight for a much-needed victory.