Wales coach Warren
Gatland has made five changes from the team that beat Ireland 16-10 in
Dublin for his team’s final warm-up match before the World Cup. You can
easily watch the live action of Free Wales vs Italy Rugby Live Online on Sep 05, Aug 2015 on your iPhone, Mac, Tab, iPad, Pc / laptop or even on mobile device.
Preview
Wales'
final warm-up game before their Rugby World Cup campaign kicks off on
Sep. 20 sees them take on Italy at the Millennium Stadium. Head coach
Warren Gatland is able to welcome back captain Sam Warburton into an
experienced team, but there is also a chance for a couple of fringe
players to impress. The anxiety ahead of last Monday's final squad
announcement has lifted and Gatland will be looking for an impressive
home performance to carry forward the momentum gained in Dublin last
weekend. Italy limp into the game on the back of a 48-7 hammering in
Scotland and could be there for the taking.
Team news
Skipper Warburton returns for his first appearance in the warm-up schedule and is one of five changes to the starting XV that beat Ireland 16-10. Four are in the forwards - where Jake Ball, Dominic Day and James King also start - while Cory Allen is given a chance to impress at outside-centre, with Jamie Roberts rested and Scott Williams moved inside. Matthew Morgan is on the bench and is joined by two players - Kristian Dacey and Ross Moriarty - who were left out of the 31-man World Cup squad.
Italy coach Jacques Brunel is also able to welcome back his captain and
talisman Sergio Parisse as one of seven changes to the XV that lost so
convincingly in Scotland. Michele Rizzo,
Quintin Geldenhuys and Andrea Masi are promoted from the bench last
Saturday to start, while experienced scrum-half Edoardo Gori partners
No.10 Tomasso Allan at half-back.
Key head-to-head
There are a few interesting battles in the forwards, but it is the front row where Italy might target Wales. The Azzurri were given a torrid afternoon at the scrum in Edinburgh last week, but with veteran Tigers loose-head Michele Rizzo up against the inexperienced Wales tight-head Tomas Francis, the Leicester prop will want to prove he can shore things up. Francis was steady on his Test debut last week but with Samson Lee's fitness still questionable Gatland will want to see a strong performance from his No.3 in Cardiff.
Key stats
* The 61-point winning margin Wales rattled up against Italy on the final day of the Six Nations in Rome was their biggest against the Azzurri.
* The hosts' biggest home victory over Italy was a 47-8 win in February 2008.
* Italy have never won in 11 attempts when playing Wales in Cardiff, coming closest with an 18-18 draw in 2006.
0 comments:
Post a Comment