RECAP: Wales v Italy

READERS’ FORUM: Welcome to the Six Nations encounter between Wales and Italy in Cardiff.

New coach Wayne Pivac wants Wales to expand their attacking game but has urged fans to be patient when the reigning Grand Slam champions begin their Six Nations title defence against Italy.

Saturday’s match will be the former Scarlets’ boss first full international in charge following a 43-33 non-cap win over the Barbarians in November.

Pivac has succeeded Warren Gatland, who won three Grand Slams and saw Wales to two World Cup semifinals during a 12-year reign that included a last-four defeat by eventual champions South Africa at Japan 2019.

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Teams:

Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny, 14 Johnny McNicholl, 13 George North, 12 Hadleigh Parkes, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Justin Tipuric, 6 Aaron Wainwright, 5 Alun Wyn Jones (captain), 4 Jake Ball, 3 Dillon Lewis, 2 Ken Owens, 1 Wyn Jones.

Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Rob Evans, 18 Leon Brown, 19 Cory Hill, 20 Ross Moriarty, 21 Rhys Webb, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Nick Tompkins.

Italy: 15 Matteo Minozzi, 14 Leonardo Sarto, 13 Luca Morisi, 12 Carlo Canna, 11 Mattia Bellini, 10 Tommaso Allan, 9 Callum Braley, 8 Abraham Steyn, 7 Jake Polledri, 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Niccolò Cannone, 4 Alessandro Zanni, 3 Andrea Lovotti, 2 Luca Bigi (captain), 1 Giosuè Zilocchi.

Replacements: 16 Federico Zani, 17 Danilo Fischetti, 18 Marco Riccioni, 19 Marco Lazzaroni, 20 Dean Budd, 21 Giovanni Licata, 22 Guglielmo Palazzani, 23 Jayden Hayward

Referee: Luke Pearce (England)

Assistant referees: Matthew Carley (England), Mike Fraser (New Zealand)

TMO: James Leckie (Australia)