Match Facts

Italy have won two of their last three Test matches against Wales (L1), including their most recent (24-21 in 2024), after losing 16 in a row previously; the Azzurri will be aiming to win back-to-back games against Wales for the first time in their history.

Italy’s last two victories against Wales both came in Cardiff, with the Azzurri not winning against Wales on home soil since the 2007 Guinness Men’s Six Nations (23-20), losing each of their eight such meetings since, with the last six coming by margins of 10+ points.

Italy won their most recent Guinness Men’s Six Nations home match (31-29 v Scotland in Round 4, 2024) after losing 26 in a row previously, however, the Azzurri have won back-to-back home games in the Championship just once before, between the 2012 and 2013 editions, against Scotland (13-6) and France (23-18).

Wales have lost their last 13 matches, their longest losing run in their Test history, with their last three defeats in that spell all coming by more than 30 points; in the Six Nations they have lost their last seven games and one more defeat would equal their longest losing streak in the Championship (including 4/5 Nations) – an eight-game run between 1994 and 1996.

Italy were successful from all five of their place-kick attempts against Scotland in Round 1, the only team with a 100% success rate from the tee last weekend; Italy scored 14 points from their kicks, 3.27 more than their expected points total of 10.73, the only side to overperform against their expected total.

Wales were the only team to make 200+ metres in contact during Round 1 of the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations (244) and also boasted the second highest dominant carry rate of any team last weekend (35%, France – 41%).

Italy (212) and Wales (185) completed more tackles than any other sides in the opening round of this year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations; it was the fourth time that the Azzurri have made 200+ in a Six Nations game since the start of last year’s Championship, with Scotland the only other side to do so even once.

Wales (63%) and Italy (49%) played with 10+ metres width on a higher share of their attacking phases than any other side in the opening round of the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations; only Ireland (37.1%) moved the ball beyond first receiver from a higher share of their phases than Wales (36.6%) or the Azzurri (25.4%).

Italy’s Federico Ruzza claimed nine lineouts against Scotland in Round 1, the most of any player last weekend; since his Six Nations debut in 2017 he has made 136 lineout takes, more than any other player in that time.

Just five players completed 20+ tackles in the opening round of this year’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations, all of whom could feature in this game: Italy’s Michele Lamaro (20), Giacomo Nicotera (20) and Sebastian Negri (26), as well as Welsh duo Jac Morgan (21) and Dafydd Jenkins (24) – Negri’s tally of 26 was the joint-second most by an Italy player in the Championship (Michele Lamaro, 27 v Scotland last year).