Six Nations 2022: Wales v Italy preview, team news & key stats

Both Wales and Italy have pride on the line when they play each other on Saturday.

Alun Wyn Jones will be the first player to reach 150 caps for one nation.

Dan Biggar will become the seventh Welsh player to reach 100 caps.

The fly-half thinks Wales were the better team in the loss to France and they will face a side who they have beaten in each of the past 16 meetings.

Italy are looking for their first Six Nations win since 2015 to end a miserable run of 36 defeats in the tournament.

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Team news

Biggar continues to lead the team despite the return of Wales' long-term captain, with Jones replacing Will Rowlands at lock in one of seven changes.

Johnny McNicholl, Louis Rees-Zammit, Willis Halaholo, and Gareth Davies are all back in the lineup.

Liam Williams, Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Tomos Williams, Ryan Elias, Tomas Francis are not in the match-day squad.

Italy made two changes to the side that lost to Scotland, with full-back Ange Capuozzo making his first start after scoring twice from the bench last weekend.

Edoardo Padovani is preferred in the second row over Niccolo Cannone, who drops to the bench.

Commentator's notes

Of all the predictions, this is the least demanding: Wales will win. Wales will play with purpose and width.

There is something about Italy that stirs the soul - their youth, their lack of fear, their desire to stay in the Six Nations, and of course, the absolute proof that there is room for even the slenderest of shapes in international.

Wales 56 Italy 34.

View from both camps

At the start of the competition, we probably had written it off due to the absences, but we have grown throughout the competition, which has been really, really pleasing.

We are building depth in a number of areas which are important going through to the World Cup next year.

When we take to the field, we want to win every Test match, but we weren't happy with round one, but we have built and there have been a lot of positives to come out of the last three matches.

The team that has recovered important players will be the one that we will face.

We want to finish the tournament in the best possible way, by continuing the game that was shown against Scotland.

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Line-ups

Wales: 15-McNicholl, 14-Rees-Zammit, 13- Watkin, 12-Halaholo, 11-Adams, 10- Biggar, 9-G Davies.

Replacements: 16-Roberts, 17-W Jones, 18-Brown, 19-Rowlands, 20-Moriarty, 21-Hardy, 22-Sheedy.

Italy has 15-Capuozzo, 14-Padovani, 13-Brex, 12-Marin, 11-Ioane, 10-Garbisi, 9-Braley.

Replacements include 16-Bigi, 17-Traore, 18- Alongi, 19- Sisi, 20- Cannone, 21-Steyn, 22-Fusco, and 23-Zanon.

Match facts

It's head-to-head.

• Wales have won their last 16 games against Italy in all competitions, triumphing in seven of those encounters by 35 points or more
• They have never lost at home to Italy in the Six Nations. Their two defeats came away from home in 2003 and 2007
• The solitary Six Nations draw between these nations did come in Cardiff in 2006

There is a country called Wales.

• Wales' defeat versus France was just a second in 12 home matches in the Six Nations
• They have scored just five tries so far, the lowest tally of any nation other than Italy (four)
• Wales could lose consecutive home matches in this championship for the first time in 15 years. In 2006 they were defeated in their final fixture versus France and then lost the 2007 opener against Ireland

Italy.

• Italy have only won 12 Six Nations matches since they joined the tournament in 2000
• They are currently on a record 36-match losing run in the championship (including the Five Nations)
• Italy's last win away from home in the Six Nations came in Scotland in 2015

Match officials

Andrew Brace was the referee.

Matthew Carley and Tual Trainini are touch judges.

Joy Neville is from Ireland.