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Full-time: Wales 24-3 Italy
Welcome along to the first of two Six Nations liveblogs today. We’ve just about to kick off in Cardiff. First thing’s first, here are the teams:
Wales: Leigh Halfpenny, Alex Cuthbert, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, George North, Rhys Priestland, Mike Phillips-; Gethin Jenkins (c) , Matthew Rees, Adam Jones, Alun Wyn Jones, Ian Evans, Dan Lydiate, Justin Tipuric, Toby Faletau.
Subs: 1Ken Owens, Paul James, Luke Charteris, Ryan Jones, Rhys Webb, James Hook, Scott Williams.
Italy: Andrea Masi, Luke McLean, Gonzalo Canale, Alberto Sgarbi, Mirco Bergamasco, Kristopher Burton, Fabio Semenzato ; Andrea Lo Cicero, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Lorenzo Cittadini, Quintin Geldenhuys, Cornelius van Zyl, Alessandro Zanni, Simone Favaro, Sergio Parisse (c).
Subs: Tommaso D’Apice, Fabio Staibano, Marco Bortolami, Robert Barbieri, Tobias Botes, Tommaso Benvenuti, Giulio Toniolatti.
There are two changes for Warren Gatland’s side as Justin Tipuric makes his test debut in place of Sam Warburton, while Matthew Rees comes in instead of Ken Owens in the front row.
Italy, meanwhile, ring in the changes after their defeat to Ireland with six new faces.
Unsurprisingly, it is all Wales in the opening minutes. Not many are giving Italy a hope here and there is an air of expectation from the home support.
Wales 3-0 Italy (Halfpenny)
Leigh Halfpenny kicks a penalty from 48 metres out on the left side after Parisse is caught offside. That’s his 47th point of this year’s Six Nations.
The home team open their account and will be intent on clocking up plenty more in this first half.
Wales 3-3 Italy (Mirco Bergamasco)
Italy win a scrum 10 metres out. When they’re awarded a penalty, Bergamasco levels things up from a central position.
Priestland kicks into the corner and Ian Evans collects the line-out. Wales edge forward and win themselves another penalty. Should be no problem for Halfpenny here…
Wales 6-3 Italy (Halfpenny)
Handy score for Halfpenny there as Wales open up a narrow lead again.
An Italian spell of possession is wasted by Kristopher Burton, who completely miss-hits his kick into the air. They are lucky though, as a knock-on hands the ball back to them.
Halfpenny smells a try and looks for some space to run into but Italian skipper Sergio Parisse takes him down with an excellent tackle.
Passes completed so far:
- Wales: 85
- Italy: 18
Wales coming storming forward and Toby Faletau breaks away with ball in-hand. He offloads to Jamie Roberts and Halfpenny is given the opportunity for his third successful kick of the day.
Brave play by the Italians. They turn down the chance to kick at goal in favour of putting out for a line-out but are then penalised for holding onto possession on the floor and the chances goes a-begging.
Half-time: Wales 9-3 Italy
Wales’ Alex Cuthbert and Italy’s Kristopher Burton. Credit: Mike Egerton/EMPICS Sport
Injured Italian prop Matin Castrogiovanni is working pitchside for BBC Sport. His unruly hair/beard combination looks even more insane when he’s dressed in a suit and not his rugby kit.
Italy with a line-out just inside the Welsh 22. Jonathan Davies intercepts a poor pass and Wales wrestle the ball back off Bergamasco, who is put under serious pressure after catching a kick.
North beats Parisse in a foot race and cleans up after Ian Evans lets a pass slip through his hands. It’s been sloppy from both sides at times.
TRY! Wales 16-3 Italy (Jamie Roberts)
The first try of the day has finally arrived. Wales play the ball from left to right and Roberts puts his foot down and cuts inside Luke McClean to stroll through and touch down. Halfpenny fires over for two more.
It’s been all Wales since that try and you wouldn’t be at all surprised if they added a couple of more in the next few minutes.
Irish referee George Clancy, who is taking charge of his sixth Six Nations game today, gets a bit of stick from the BBC co-commentator Jonathan Davies for holding up the play.
There’s a bit of handbags between a group of players from both sides after the Italians are unhappy with Leigh Halfpenny, who crashes into Parisee in mid-air.
The full-back receives what looks like a deserved yellow card for a clumsy challenge but replays show his eyes were on the ball.
Justin Tipuric attempts to go solo. He collects the ball at the back of the line-out, kicks it 20 metres ahead of himself and, after closing down Andrea Masi, tries to poke it up the line. Clancy calls play back for a knock-on, however.
Wales 19-3 Italy (Rhys Priestland)
Phillips wins a penalty and Priestlands steps up in the absence of the sinbinned Heighpenny to convert.
TRY! Wales 24-3 Italy (Alex Cuthbert)
There are some tired legs in blue jerseys and it showed there. Cuthbert goes charging by prop Fabio Staibano and gets over the line. Priestland puts the conversion wide but that’s the job done.
We knew it was going to be tough from the start. The Italian’s work rate was outstanding to be fair. There’s no talk about the Grandslam yet, we just need to take each game as it comes.” – Man-of-the-match Alex Cuthbert
“I thought we played some great rugby in the first half. The man with the whistle didn’t make it easy for us and was over-pedantic, which was frustrating. Leigh has jumped for the ball, hasn’t he. I thought it was a little harsh (on Halfpenny’s yellow card),” says Wales boss Warren Gatland.
“You’ve got a chance, haven’t you (on winning the Grand Slam). We’ll try to keep our heads down over the next week. To achieve three Grand Slams over the last seven or eight years would be terrific.”
So if France can beat England at the Stade de France tomorrow, they will travel to the Millennium Stadium for a championship decider on St Patrick’s Day. I’m done here, but flick over to join Adrian, who is in situ at Lansdowne Road for Ireland’s clash with Scotland. You can get there by clicking here.
Watching Jose and pogba, will be more entertaining than the football .
@Liam Neeson: it’s all going to plan for Jose.
C’mon you irons#.
Ahahahahahahahahahaha pmsl
@Tuot tuot: why are you laughing at a british club? Another case of my british club is better than your british club
@Paul: nearly as bad as you commenting on a British club thread.
@John: or commenting on somebody commenting …eh John
@Paul: and there is you speaking the queens english and probably watch English TV and use things made in Britain too.
Give over you pleb
@Colin Ahern: I guess he also only supports irish home grown music and none of that foreign stuff too.
@Paul: Oh give over.it has always been this way and always will be.
Pogba is at a stage where he doesn’t really care. He is on crazy money and his reputation after winning the world cup is an all time high. Maybe not witj fans but for Barcelona, real Madrid and psg boards he’s still worth 100 million. He could feasibly play poorly for years and swap between top clubs and earn the same money.
@Murf T Will: I was with you right up until the playing poorly for years bit. No one’s reputation is bullet proof! Just look at the likes of Torres, Rooney etc.
@Murf T Will: Rooney played poorly for years with United. He definitely milked it. They only shipped him out because he couldn’t run anymore.
@Murf T Will: Yeah – with United. Then he moved to Everton didn’t he? It’s not like he’s been bouncing around the top clubs whilst playing poorly on the strength of his good reputation as you claim Pogba might.
@Murf T Will: It was his reputation and nationality that kept him at United.
@I’m not wavy gravy: Yea Torres bounced from Liverpool to Chelsea to Atletico. Not really a dip in standard.
@Hugh Jass: I see your point but Chelsea to Athletico was a huge drop in standard for Torres! Do you not remember how good he was at Liverpool? He’s lucky there was so much love for him at AM or he’d have been thrown into mid-table obscurity.
@Murf T Will: And as soon as it was time to move clubs where did he go? Everton then Galaxy. Your original claim was that Pogba can play poorly for years and still secure high profile moves to the likes of Barca and Real Madrid. That’s clearly not the case.
@Murf T Will: Yeah. Obviously with age you will move to lesser clubs with physical ability weakening. Up until 30 to 32 pogba will circulate the top clubs.
@Murf T Will: And if he transfers to a club like spurs within that time I’ll personally go into your bank and pay off your mortgage.
@Murf T Will: Haha alright, deal. I’ll meet you back here in ten years and we’ll see who’s right.
Hope Rice has good game!
@Magnum: Hes had a cracking game Magnum
But but but but
Not good enough. I thought Jose would have till January to turn it around but I’m not so sure now
I”m getting sick of this, nobody fears man Utd anymore and by the looks of it, with good reason. Bottom of table clubs will be looking to take a point as a minimum and hope to take 3. Tough season ahead, top 4 looking dodgy for sure.
Hammers well worth their 2-0 lead. So much negativity surrounding the club ,players and manager. Score line doesn’t surprise me.In saying that I think it’s Woodward that needs to take a step back and let someone else take the reigns. He is a very astute businessman but not a Chief Executive.
@Johnny Bravo: so it’s Woodwards fault United are 2 nil down to a team that have only own a single league game this season?
@Gareth Keenan: He has been more or less head of the decision making in the last few years , so if you like yea he should shoulder some of the blame for today’s game and more. Does that explain it for you
@Johnny Bravo: no it doesn’t actually. Manager and players are responsible for what happens on the pitch.
@Gareth Keenan’: who’s responsible for putting them there in the first place I ask you !
haha such a crap performance again today from.the once mighty now shitey man United.Total laughing stock of a club from the manager down to the very poor egotistical players they have.Mourinho to stay on hopefully .They deserve each other .
@Michael cunnane: Micheal comeback when you’ve actually won something. Good lad
@Michael cunnane: Nearly as bad as Spurs performance at home to Liverpool! Scoreline flattered Spurs, should have been 5!
@Michael cunnane: whereas Spuds have been shitey since the days of Ricky Villa and Ardiles
@Michael cunnane: sorry you probably don’t know who they are
@David Carino: Hahahahahahahaha 3-0 we outclassed ye at old crappord.Have that .Spurs light years ahead of United.Wakey wakey
@Michael cunnane: yes so far ahead I can’t see because of the shine coming out of your Trophy drawer .
So 2-0. Everything going to plan with Paul and Jose
Give Smalling and Shaw a pay rise! 4 million a year is nowhere near enough for this level of mediocre, overhyped talent. This is what I spend my hard earned barstooler euro on, so you better sort it Woodward!… Sure, it’s the best league in the world!