Wales v Italy

A first meeting between two nations, settled in Cardiff with a Welsh victory that Italy's rising ambition made all the more meaningful.

On 16 January 1994, Wales hosted Italy at Cardiff Arms Park in a friendly international. Wales won 29-19 in what was the first ever meeting between the two nations. Italy were still outside the Five Nations at this point, but their growing competitiveness on the European stage was becoming impossible to ignore.

A retractable roof and 74,500 seats: Cardiff did not do things by halves in 1999.

The old Cardiff Arms Park made way for the Millennium Stadium (now the Principality Stadium), a 74,500-seat venue with a retractable roof. It opened in June 1999, just in time for the Rugby World Cup. The stadium would become the permanent home of Wales v Italy fixtures in Cardiff, giving the match a setting worthy of international rugby.

Italy's Six Nations debut began with a 47-16 lesson from Wales; the annual fixture had arrived, and so had the steep learning curve.

Italy's admission to the Six Nations Championship in 2000 transformed this from an occasional friendly into a guaranteed annual fixture. In their first Six Nations match against Wales, played in Cardiff on 19 February 2000, Italy lost 47-16. The Azzurri had announced themselves on the biggest stage in European rugby, but Wales made it clear the learning curve would be steep.

Italy's first win over Wales, at the Flaminio in 2003, announced the Azzurri as genuine Six Nations contenders.

On 22 February 2003 at the Stadio Flaminio in Rome, Italy beat Wales 30-22 for the first time in the fixture's history. It was a watershed moment for Italian rugby. Wales were in a difficult period, and Italy's pack dominated proceedings. The result sent shockwaves through the championship and proved Italy belonged at the top table.

Twenty-seven years without a Grand Slam, then Wales announced their return by putting 38 points past Italy in Rome.

Mike Ruddock's Wales side swept to a Grand Slam in 2005, their first since 1978. Italy were beaten 38-8 in Rome on the opening weekend. It was a statement of intent from a Welsh team featuring Gavin Henson, Shane Williams, and a young Ryan Jones. The victory set the tone for a championship campaign that reignited Welsh rugby.

Rome did it again; Scanavacca's boot the difference as Italy claimed a second Six Nations scalp against Wales.

Italy beat Wales 23-20 at the Stadio Flaminio on 10 February 2007, their second Six Nations victory over the Welsh. Andrea Scanavacca kicked Italy to victory in a tight contest. It was a reminder that travelling to Rome was never straightforward, and that Italy's pack could trouble anyone on their day.

Warburton's Wales opened with a 24-3 demolition; the Grand Slam was never really in doubt.

Warren Gatland's Wales claimed the Grand Slam in 2012, beating Italy 24-3 in Cardiff on the opening day. Sam Warburton led a side that combined ferocious defence with clinical finishing. The Italy match set the platform for a championship run that confirmed Wales as the dominant force in northern hemisphere rugby at the time.

Thirty-six matches without a win; one late try changed everything.

On 19 March 2022, Italy beat Wales 22-21 in Cardiff in the final round of the Six Nations. It was Italy's first away win in the championship since 2015 and ended a run of 36 consecutive Six Nations defeats. Edoardo Padovani's late try and Paolo Garbisi's conversion sealed a famous victory. The result was a seismic moment for Italian rugby and a painful afternoon for the home crowd.

Three straight Six Nations wins over Wales; Italy are no longer anyone's favourite upset.

Italy defeated Wales 24-21 in Rome on 10 February 2024, their third consecutive Six Nations victory over the Welsh. Under Gonzalo Quesada, Italy had become a genuinely competitive side, finishing above Wales in the table for the third year running. The balance of power in this fixture, once so one-sided, had shifted markedly.