Wales v Italy to kick-off Six Nations Super Sunday

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency/Getty Images

• Published4 hours ago

Wales return to Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday looking to salvage something from what has been another disappointing Six Nations campaign.

Despite showing grit against the tournament's heavyweights, Sean Lynn's side are yet to pick up a win and are at serious risk of a third consecutive Wooden Spoon.

Opponents Italy head to the Welsh capital with a victory already under their belts and full of confidence after becoming the first team in nearly a decade to score five tries against England.

The Azzurri could finish as high as third - their best finish in seven years - if Ireland fail to beat Scotland in Dublin (14:30).

England and France will then bring the curtain down on the Championship when they battle for the Grand Slam in Bordeaux (16:45).

• Women's Six Nations: Fixtures, results, standings and BBC coverage

  • Published9 May

• Wales switch 'non-negotiable' for new cap Prothero

  • Published3 days ago

Team news

Wales have made just the one starting change, with Seren Singleton preferred to Hannah Dallavalle who moves to the bench.

Singleton made her debut on the wing in the opening round against Scotland and also started against France and England, before being dropped for Ireland.

Italy have made four starting changes, with Francesca Granzotto getting the nod on the wing ahead of Aura Muzzo.

Francesca Sgorbini and Giordana Duca come into the back row, while Gaia Maris returns at prop.

The game will be the final outing for Valeria Fedrighi, with the lock retiring after 72 caps, 10 Six Nations and three World Cups.

View from the camps

Wales head coach Sean Lynn said: "We will need all the grit, determination and physicality we have shown throughout this tournament against a very capable Italy side.

"We have made real strides with our performance in each game and we know we have to do that again in the final game.

"We know we have moved the dial with our performances, but we have to be an 80-minute team at Test match level.

"The players know if they win their own personal battle with their opposite number than we will have a produced a performance we can be proud of and taken another step forward."

Italy lock Alessandra Frangipani said: "We are working hard on our identity and our play. Now, especially towards the end of the tournament, there is a great desire to do well and we are working very intensely.

"It won't be an easy challenge because we know Wales are a very intense team, especially in the set-pieces like the scrum, lineout, and drive, where they know how to put opponents under significant pressure, but I believe we have also proven our worth.

"We certainly expect a very physical game, especially up front. They are very good on direct lines and very intense. However, we have all the cards in hand to try and put them in difficulty."

• Wales players back Lynn '100%' before Italy game

  • Published4 days ago

• Wales recall Singleton for must-win Italy game

  • Published1 day ago

Commentator’s note

BBC Radio Wales commentator Gareth Rhys Owen: "There's a shift in tone around Wales after that defeat to Ireland and it's not entirely comfortable.

"Sean Lynn pointed to the context: 12th in the world, facing a top-five side away from home, and the need to be more clinical.

"Against England and France, that argument holds, but it becomes more complicated than that.

"Because if Wales are now explaining results through rankings and perceived gaps in quality, then expectations have quietly shifted, and not in a good way.

"Lynn had a free hit last season. This campaign feels different. There have been glimpses - early against Scotland, patches against England - but not enough consistency.

"Italy will come into this one believing they're the better side, not hopeful favourites, and that brings a very different kind of pressure."

Wales v Italy

Guinness Women's Six Nations

Sunday, 17 May, kick-off 12:15 BST

Cardiff Arms Park

Watch every match live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app; listen to match commentaries on BBC Radio 5 Live, Sports Extra and BBC Sounds; follow live text and match highlights online

Match stats

Head-to-head

• Out of 18 Six Nations meetings, Italy have won nine, Wales have won eight and there has been one draw

• Italy put a record score (44-12) on Wales in last year's meeting in Parma

• Italy are ranked eighth in the world, with Wales four places behind in 12th

Six Nations 2026

• Wales top the defensive stats with 721 successful tackles - 226 in round four

• Georgia Evans made more tackles than any other player in round four (27)

• Lleucu George has made more kicks in play than any other player (73)

• Kelsey Jones leads the competition with 45 lineout throws won

• Italy lead the jackal count with 17 and 258 defensive ruck entries

• Italy also lead the kicking game with 43 box kicks, including 11 in round four

• Sofia Stefan recorded eight box kicks in the round four (ranked 1st)

• Silvia Turani won two turnovers in round four (ranked 1st) and has made six dominant tackles (ranked 2nd)

Line-ups

Wales: Powell; Singleton, Cox, Keight, J. Joyce; George, Bevan; Pyrs, K. Jones, Tuipulotu, Metcalfe, Evans, Aiono, Lewis (capt), King.

Replacements: Reardon, Davies, Rose, John, A. Joyce, Lockwood, Dallavalle, Prothero

Italy: Ostuni Minuzzi; Granzotto, Sillari, Mannini, D'Incà; Madia, Stefan; Turani, Vecchini, Maris, Fedrighi, Duca, Sgorbini, Ranuccini, Giordano (capt).

Replacements: Cheli, Zanette, Dosi, Frangipani, Veronese, Bitonci, Stevanin, Muzzo.

Officials

Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZR)

Assistants: Emily Hope (RFU), Rebecca Piddlesden (RFU)

TMO: Dan Jones (RFU)

FPRO: Paul Haycock (IRFU)

Related topics

• Welsh Rugby
• Rugby Union
• Wales Sport