ITALY
No.Name
15Luke McLean, FB
14Leonardo Sarto, W
T
13Luca Morisi, C
12Andrea Masi, C
11Giovanbattista Venditti, W
T
10Kelly Haimona, FH
9Edoardo Gori, SH
1Michele Rizzo, P
2Leonardo Ghiraldini, H
3Martin Castrogiovanni, P
4George Fabio Biagi, L
5Josh Furno, L
6Francesco Minto, FL
7Mauro Bergamasco, FL
8Samu Vunisa, N8
Replacements
16Andrea Manici, H
17Alberto de Marchi, P
18Dario Chistolini, P
19Quintin Geldenhuys, L
20Robert Barbieri, N8
21Guglielmo Palazzani, SH
22Luciano Orquera, FH
2
23Enrico Bacchin, C

*Players currently on the pitch are shown in bold

Game Info

Venue: Stadio Olimpico
8:30 AM, March 21, 2015
Attendance: 65,827
All CommentaryKey Events

Match Commentary

81'20-61 End of half
81'20-61 End of half
81'20-61 End of second half
81'20-61 Conversion - Luciano Orquera , Italy
80'Orquera drives the kick between the sticks and what a final day we have here.
80'18-61 Try - Leonardo Sarto , Italy
79'Well, well, well! Sarto bursts clear and piles over in the corner. TMO in action as Biggar looked like he may have clipped the Italian into touch... But it's given! Biggar protests but to no avail. How crucial could that be in where the Six Nations title is headed?
77'Almost another break as Gareth Davies capitalises on a mistake in the Italian defence, but he had one eye on the try-line and drops the ball. The whole of Wales will be hoping that doesn't prove costly this evening...
75'A rare handling error from the Welsh, but it matters little. This game is done. Italy are done. They look lost out there. This is a demoralising defeat. How they miss Parisse.
74'Substitute on - Jake Ball , Wales
74'Player substituted - Luke Charteris , Wales
74'Substitute on - Guglielmo Palazzani , Italy
74'Player substituted - Edoardo Gori , Italy
74'Substitute on - Scott Andrews , Wales
74'Player substituted - Aaron Jarvis , Wales
74'Substitute on - Enrico Bacchin , Italy
74'Player substituted - Luca Morisi , Italy
74'13-61 Conversion - Dan Biggar , Wales
73'Another routine kick for Biggar and Wales have gone from 13-11 down to 61-13 up in a little more than half an hour.
73'13-59 Try - Scott Williams , Wales
72'Just incredible stuff from Wales. Have you ever seen a second-half of rugby like this? From the Italian lineout just yards from the Welsh try-line, the ball is spilled and Wales break expertly. Scott Williams collects the ball just inside Italian half and outsprints the defence to go over. Breathtaking try and 47 unanswered points since the break.
71'Substitute on - Rhys Priestland , Wales
71'Player substituted - Liam Williams , Wales
71'Player substituted - Rhys Webb , Wales
71'Substitute on - Gareth Davies , Wales
70'Player substituted - Samu Vunisa , Italy
70'Substitute on - Robert Barbieri , Italy
70'13-54 Conversion - Dan Biggar , Wales
69'Easy kick for Biggar. Pressure seriously building on England and Ireland now. As it stands: Wales 8pts (+53), England 6pts (+37), Ireland 6pts (+33)
69'13-52 Try - Sam Warburton , Wales
68'And there it is! Unbelievable stuff from Wales here and the formidable Warburton is released expertly by Tipuric to break clear and go over unchallenged.
67'Difficult kick for Biggar and he hooks it slightly. It drifts wide but Wales are pushing towards 50 points here.
67'13-47 Try - Rhys Webb , Wales
66'Good grief where was the Italy defence? They are just crumbling here as Webb sells the dummy before skipping through two Italians to score in the corner.
65'Wales break clear and did they go over? TMO called... No try but we go back to the penalty. Wales have the ball right in the corner.
65'Yellow card - Quintin Geldenhuys , Italy
64'Geldenhuys now in the bin for dragging down the Welsh maul.
62'Italy just can't get in the game in this second half - and you have to wonder how much of an impact that penalty right at the end of the first-half had on them. Webb attempts to break but to no avail. Meanwhile, Masi is out of the bin.
60'13-42 Conversion - Dan Biggar , Wales
60'13-40 Try - George North , Wales
59'Hat-trick! North bundles over under the posts after stunning work from the Welsh forward line. North hasn't scored in his last four Tests and now has three inside 10 minutes. Biggar puts the ball down and puts the ball between the posts with barely a run-up. As it stands: Wales 8pts (+41), England 6pts (+37), Ireland 6pts (+33)
58'It's all Wales now as Warburton storms into Italian territory, but North is caught offside.
56'Player substituted - Dan Lydiate , Wales
56'Substitute on - Justin Tipuric , Wales
56'Player substituted - Scott Baldwin , Wales
56'Substitute on - Ken Owens , Wales
56'13-35 Conversion - Dan Biggar , Wales
55'What a strike from Biggar. A Halfpenny-esque kick from the replacement there. Now Wales +34, England +37 and Ireland +33. Completely different games for England and Ireland now as the Welsh pile on the pressure.
55'13-33 Try - George North , Wales
54'Liam Williams goes so close to taking the ball in the corner and Italy are handed the chance to clear from the lineout, but Jones sneaks in and the ball is worked across to North who bundles over. Wales on a roll here.
53'Yellow card - Andrea Masi , Italy
53'Player substituted - Rob Evans , Wales
53'Substitute on - Rhys Gill , Wales
52'It gets worse for Italy - as Masi is ordered into the bin for a tackle off the ball.
51'Liam Williams is enjoying himself in this second half and he looks to break again but is hauled down by a wobbly Italian defence.
51'Substitute on - Quintin Geldenhuys , Italy
51'Player substituted - George Fabio Biagi , Italy
51'Substitute on - Alberto de Marchi , Italy
51'Player substituted - Michele Rizzo , Italy
51'Substitute on - Andrea Manici , Italy
51'Player substituted - Leonardo Ghiraldini , Italy
51'Player substituted - Martin Castrogiovanni , Italy
51'Substitute on - Dario Chistolini , Italy
51'13-28 Conversion - Dan Biggar , Wales
50'Biggar makes it three from three and suddenly it's looking much brighter for the Welsh, who are chipping away at England and Ireland's point advantage. Wales now +27, England +37 and Ireland +33. Of course none of this matters if Scotland and France were to take victory.
50'13-26 Try - George North , Wales
49'And another! This time it's Liam Williams who turns provider to find North galloping into space.
48'13-21 Conversion - Dan Biggar , Wales
48'13-19 Try - Liam Williams , Wales
47'Italy give away a penalty for hands in the ruck and some quick-thinking from Webb, whose tap penalty allows Liam Williams to break through the hosts' defence and touch down. Biggar makes no mistake from right under the posts.
45'Welsh throw deep inside the Italian half and Warburton has words with Ghiraldini, who was clinging on to the ball as the Welshman tried to speed things up. The ball disappears under a pile of bodies from the lineout and somehow Castrogiovanni appears with it.
43'Rizzo off his feet in the ruck giving Wales the penalty - Biggar kicks into the corner.
42'Short break in play as Castrogiovanni receives treatment for a hand injury - but he looks okay.
41'Wales with the first breakaway of the second half as they work it out wide to Scott Williams who, under pressure, tries to fling it back in-field to Webb, but his attempt at a one-handed pass is spilled and it's Italy's turn to take charge of the scrum.
41'29 metres out and no mistake from the Welsh replacement kicker - and it gives Wales the lead for the first time in this match right on the stroke of half-time.
41'+113-14 End of first half
41'+113-14 Penalty goal - Dan Biggar , Wales
40'Wales given a chance with the scrum as Gori knocks on as he attempts the catch straight from Biggar's re-start.
40'So close! Biggar's delightful chip is not quite gathered but Ghiraldini is penalised and is the latest player to get a stern talking to. Biggar can go for the posts now…
40'13-14 Start of second half
39'Wales pile into the Italian defence, seemingly desperate to gain the lead before the half-time. Welsh penalty and they go into touch right in the corner. Huge chance here.
37'Vendetti offside following Biggar's kick, who opts not to go for the posts. In to touch instead as Wales look to build.
35'With Halfpenny undergoing Head Injury Assessment, his Welsh side are starting to look flustered on the pitch. Evans gets a talking to from the referee. "Next time, you're in the bin," he says.
34'Halfpenny, helped by two members of the Welsh medical staff, hobbles off the pitch. He looks shaken. Williams on.
34'Player substituted - Leigh Halfpenny , Wales
34'Substitute on - Scott Williams , Wales
33'Huge break from Vunisa who storms into the Welsh half, but Halfpenny takes one for the team by throwing himself in front of the monstrous Italian. Halfpenny took a knee to the head - this does not look promising.
32'Wales' drive at the Italy defence before Webb finds the galloping North on the touchline, but the winger is hauled into touch.
31'Another injury as Baldwin receives treatment - but he's okay to go on.
30'Venditti breaks but Warburton forces a penalty for Wales at the breakdown. Wales clear and it's their lineout.
29'The Italian front row piles on the pressure and it's another penalty for the hosts. Italy are playing with a swagger we have yet to see from the Azzurri at this year's Six Nations.
28'Wales work themselves into an excellent position with a lineout midway through their opponent's half. But Jones knocks on and it's Italy's scrum.
27'13-11 Conversion - Luciano Orquera , Italy
26'Orquera makes no mistake with the kick and Italy lead again.
25'11-11 Try - Giovanbattista Venditti , Italy
24'Well no, they can't. Brilliant persistence from Italy and Venditti sneaks through what seemed like 15 Welsh shirts to go over.
22'Italy testing Wales' defence now as the rolling maul moves over the Welsh 22. Scrum penalty to Italy. Can the visitors hold off?
20'Italy respond well, forcing Williams into a knock-on and they kick downfield.
19'6-11 Try - Jamie Roberts , Wales
18'And there's the first try of the match! Superb vision from Davies, whose pass finds Charteris. The big man is brought down but the ball finds its way to Halfpenny who slots a delicious kick through to Roberts who goes over unchallenged. A very well-taken try from the visitors, but Halfpenny can't add the extras as his kick drifts wide.
17'Wales have a break of their own and earn a penalty when Castrogiovanni holds on.
16'Vunisa finds a rare gap in the Wales defence but is quickly hunted down by the pack. A completely different attitude to this Italy team to what we saw last week.
14'Superb attack from Italy after Sarto collects Biggar's high punt, but Venditti spills and Wales have the scrum.
13'6-6 Penalty goal - Leigh Halfpenny , Wales
12'No mistake from the Welsh kicker - straight down the middle. We might get a game of rugby at some point...
11'Another penalty! Wales are handed the chance to level matters immediately as Italy are penalised for obstruction straight from the re-start. 40 metres or so for Halfpenny...
11'6-3 Penalty goal - Luciano Orquera , Italy
10'It's a wobbly one from the replacement, but it sneaks inside the right-hand post. Scrappy start in Rome.
9'Italy are fired up for this and a bad kick from Webb offers the hosts a lineout just outside the Wales 22. Charteris is caught offside and Orquera has the chance to add to the scoreline.
8'3-3 Penalty goal - Leigh Halfpenny , Wales
7'Wales try to break in the Italian 22 and the hosts are caught offside. Penalty Wales and that man Halfpenny makes no mistake. All square again in Rome.
6'Even worse news for Haimona, as he limps off with his arm in a sling. Orquera is the replacement.
5'Player substituted - Kelly Haimona , Italy
5'Substitute on - Luciano Orquera , Italy
4'Break in play for treatment to Haimona, who went down hard under a tackle from Roberts.
3'Chance for Wals to break as they attack the Italian 22 - but Webb's pass to North is intercepted. Gori knocks on in the tackle and it's a Welsh scrum.
2'Italy look to build on their 22 and Gori clears. Williams takes it brilliantly to earn a penalty. He kicks to touch.
2'3-0 Penalty goal - Kelly Haimona , Italy
1'Unbelievable match. Breathtaking. Have you ever seen a performance like that? That late try from Italy could be crucial. England must beat France by 16 and Ireland must beat Scotland by 20 to stand any chance of overtaking Wales. Stay tuned, it's going to be gripping...
1'Players back out for the second half at the Stadio Olimpico. Wales need a completely different performance to stand any chance of overhauling the points difference. Otherwise they're relying on Scotland and France...
1'Well they didn't score at all last week, but Italy are on the board inside the first minute today. Charteris penalised for obstruction from Haimona's kick-off and Haimona splits the posts.
1'Hello and welcome to ESPN's coverage of Italy v Wales on a crucial final day of the 2015 Six Nations. Wales need to win and win big to stand any chance of ousting England and Ireland. We're around 15 minutes from kick-off in Rome... Wales have made two changes with Aaron Jarvis and Rob Evans coming in for the injured Gethin Jenkins (hamstring) and Samson Lee (Achilles). Italy, meanwhile, have been dealt a huge blow with skipper Sergio Parisse failing to recover from a foot injury picked up in last weekend's 29-0 drubbing by France. Kelly Haimona and Martin Castrogiovanni are also back in. It's dry but cloudy in Rome and the anthems are underway. Almost time! You feel that if Wales are to get the big win they need, a lot will rely on their two inexperienced international props in Evans and Jarvis against some proper Italian grunt. It's a big test for the pair against an experienced Italy front row that includes the returning Castrogiovanni.
1'0-0 Start of first half

Six Nations 2015 News