By Ben Jones
Wales v Italy in the Autumn Nations Cup
Date: Saturday, December 5 2020
Venue: Parc Y Scarlets, Llanelli
Time: 16:45 PM
THE ONE we’ve all been waiting for; Wales versus Italy in the fifth place playoff of the Autumn Nations Cup.
Just over a year ago, Wales were fighting for a place in the World Cup Final. Fast forward 12 months and Wayne Pivac’s side are about to appear in a fifth place playoff.
How the mighty have fallen?
What has happened in the time between the two Italy games has been disappointing, and Pivac knows that. Wales do, however, have a chance to finish 2020 on a high following a good performance against England and with this Italy game.
The game is being played at Parc Y Scarlets, a place Pivac had much success at in his regions days. The same can’t be said for his visits with Wales, though – three games in Llanelli and only one win against Georgia.
An improved performance against England last weekend would’ve given Pivac a big sigh of relief – he knows his team has the quality, he just needs the results more than anything.
As previously mentioned, Wales have a chance to go out on a high in 2020, and turn a page going into the new year.
The New Zealander has made nine changes to the side from last weekend, including an entire new front row. George North is back and is at outside centre; exciting prospects of Kieran Hardy and Callum Sheedy are at the scrum half and half-back positions respectively.
When asked about why so many changes, Pivac had this to say to WalesOnline.
“It’s about giving guys opportunities. Everyone in the squad has had a couple of opportunities. It’s a tournament where we want to build some depth.”
He added “This game was always going to be about giving guys chances. We’ve got to look at the World Cup in 2023 and have the guys who are there with caps under their belt.”
Italy come into the fixture without actually winning the game on the pitch in the Autumn tests. They got a 28-0 win by default over Fiji, who had to forfeit due to a coronavirus outbreak in their camp.
The Azzurri ran Scotland close in the first round of the Autumn Nations Cup, losing 28-17 in the end. Then came the Fiji fixture and following that, France put up 34 points in round three at the Stade de France.
A rather interesting story involves a first cap for Italy’s Stephen Varney. The fly-half was originally born in Pembrokeshire and was a product of the Scarlets academy.
He qualifies for Italy through connections on his mother’s side of the family. His father Adrian played as a flanker for both Neath and Aberavon.
WALES: (15) Liam Williams; (14) Josh Adams, (13) George North, (12) Johnny Williams, (11) Louis Rees-Zammit; (10) Callum Sheedy, (9) Kieran Hardy; (1) Nicky Smith, (2) Sam Parry, (3) Tomas Francis, (4) Will Rowlands, (5) Alun Wyn Jones (C), (6) James Botham, (7) Justin Tipuric, (8) Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: (16) Elliot Dee, (17) Wyn Jones, (18) Leon Brown, (19) Cory Hill, (20) Aaron Wainwright, (21) Gareth Davies, (22) Ioan Lloyd, (23) Jonah Holmes.
ITALY: (15) Jacopo Trula; (14) Luca Sperandio, (13) Marco Zanon, (12) Carlo Canna, (11) Montanna Ioane; (10) Paolo Garbisi, (9) Stephen Varney; (1) Danilo Fischetti, (2) Luca Bigi (C), (3) Giosuè Zilocchi, (4) Marco Lazzaroni, (5) Niccolò Cannone, (6) Maxime Mbandà, (7) Johan Meyer, (8) Abraham Steyn.
Replacements: (16) Leonardo Ghiraldini, (17) Simone Ferrari, (18) Pietro Ceccarelli, (19) Cristian Stoian, (20) Michele Lamaro, (21) Guglielmo Palazzani, (22) Tommaso Allan, (23) Federico Mori.