Italy consign Wales to first wooden spoon in 21 years

CARDIFF: Italy condemned Wales to a Six Nations whitewash for the first time in 21 years with a 24-21 win in Cardiff on Saturday.

Defeat also meant Wales finished last in a Six Nations for the first time since that woeful 2003 campaign and was a sad way for George North, who went off injured late on, to bow out from Test rugby in the powerhouse back’s final match before international retirement.

But for Italy, victory meant they had their best return in a Six Nations of two wins and a draw, with this victory following last weekend’s 31-29 defeat of Scotland in Rome and a 13-13 thriller with France.

It also ensured the Azzurri avoided a ninthstraight ‘wooden spoon’ in the tournament, with outside centre Juan Ignacio Brex starring in defence.

Italy scored fine tries through Monty Ioane and Lorenzo Pani, in for the injured Ange Capuozzo, with fly-half Paolo Garbisi kicking three penalties and a conversion and Martin Page-relo landing a late penalty.

Italy were 18-0 ahead until Wales hooker Elliot Dee forced his way over for a 65th-minute try.

Garbisi and Page-relo then all but sealed the game for Italy at 24-7 with 10 minutes let.

Wales then managed two further tries through replacements Will Rowlands and Mason Grady.

But those scores came too late to deny Italy a deserved victory, with Wales having now won just one game in 10 Six Nations matches since Warren Gatland returned for a second stint as coach.

“I want to say thank you to every single Italian here tonight,” Azzurri captain Michele Lamaro told the BBC. “We want to achieve more than just not geting the ‘wooden spoon’, we have had a good tournament but know we can do beter than this.”