Wales blow away Italy to boost Six Nations title hopes

Sport360 staff 19:11 21/03/2015
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  • Wales centre Scott Williams scores a try during the Six Nations game against Italy.

    Wing George North scored a hat-trick of tries as Wales recorded their biggest ever win over Italy to give themselves a real chance of winning the Six Nations title with a 61-20 win on Saturday.

    Warren Gatland’s men travelled to the Stadio Olimpico knowing only a win with a massive points difference would give them a chance of overhauling title rivals England and Ireland.

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    And after a shaky first-half performance that saw the visitors go in for the break 14-13 to the good, Wales turned on the style to score seven tries in a stunningly one-sided second-half with North touching down three times in the space of 10 minutes and ending a four test try drought.

    The result has fired Wales to the top of the Six Nations table to heap pressure on England and Ireland, who are in action later, respectively, at home to France and away to Scotland.

    George North breaks on the way to scoring the first of his three tries against Italy.

    Italy were without influential captain Sergio Parisse after he failed to recover in time from an ankle injury suffered in the 29-0 rout to France in Rome last week.

    And despite welcoming Kelly Haimona back to the fly-half position, the New-Zealand born player was forced off early with a suspected arm fracture.

    Italy rebounded from that setback, however, to keep the Welsh on a tight rein in the opening period with some confident play which, on several occasions, tested the Welsh defence.

    Italy responded to Jamie Roberts’s 18th minute try minutes later with Giovanbattista Venditti touching down and only a penalty on the stroke of half-time from fly-half Dan Biggar restored the visitors lead.

    Wales, however, emerged a different team after the interval and when  Italy gave away a penalty for hands in the ruck scrum-half Rhys Webb reacted quickly.

    Man-of-the-match Alun Wyn Jones jumps for a lineout ball with Josh Furno of Italy.

    His tap penalty set Liam Williams free to break through the defence and touch down – for only his first try in his last 11 tests – with Biggar slotting over an easy conversion.

    Two minutes later North touched down after powering through unhindered from Liam Williams’s pass on the left flank – Biggar converted for 28-13.

    Italy suffered a blow when centre Andrea Masi was sinbinned for an off-the-ball tackle, and Wales capitalised immediately.

    After some great work by Liam Williams again, North bundled over the try line with Biggar again on target with the boot for a 35-13 lead.

    North rounded off his hat-trick on 59 minutes when he danced through the Italian defence after some great work by the Welsh forward line.

     Biggar took the score to 42-13 with an easy conversion in front of the posts.

    Italy’s defence was nowhere when Webb picked up from the maul near the tryline and sold a dummy before holding off Leonardo Sarto to bundle over.

    Biggar’s conversion attempt drifted just wide, but Wales were soon back on the rampage, with flanker Sam Warburton and then Scott Williams touching down, the latter scoring a stunning try on 72 minutes after a move which began when Italy gave up possession from the lineout at the Welsh tryline.

    Biggar took the lead to 61-13 with the conversion, and it looked likely to stay that way until Sarto finished off a great run down the left flank to touch over, with Orquera hitting a difficult conversion from the lefthand touchline.

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