Italy vs Wales Preview & Prediction | 2025 Six Nations Championship | Round 2
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The Stadio Olimpico in Rome plays host to Italy against Wales on the second weekend of Six Nations action, with both teams looking to bounce back from opening defeats.
Start date/time: Saturday 8th February, 2025: UK – 2:15pm / US ET – 9:15am / US PT – 6:15am
How to watch on TV: UK – ITV / US – Not televised
How to watch online: UK – ITVX as well as BBC iPlayer & the BBC Sport website / US – Peacock
Italy Form: Something to build upon
Italy fought well with Scotland for large portions of last week's encounter, fighting back from a deficit to tie the game at 19-19, but they ultimately succumb to the Scots’ pressure at Murrayfield and lost 31-19.
The Azzurri proved in that contest that they will be no pushovers once again in the Six Nations, and they will more than fancy their chances of beating Wales for a third time in the last four years.
Last Five: WLWLL
Wales Form: All-time low
Wales have now lost their last 13 matches after their whitewash defeat to France in the opening game of the 2025 Six Nations, with Les Bleus running out 43-0 winners in dominant fashion in Paris.
Wales simply couldn’t deal with the sensational Antoine Dupont in that contest, and head coach Warren Gatland must now pick up the pieces once again as he seeks a first Welsh victory since October 2023.
Last Five: LLLLL
Italy Team News: Only two changes from Scotland defeat
Squad: 15 Tommaso Allan, 14 Ange Capuozzo, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Martin Page-Relo, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (c), 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Danilo Fischetti
Replacements: 16 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17 Luca Rizzoli, 18 Marco Riccioni, 19 Dino Lamb, 20 Manuel Zuliani, 21 Ross Vintcent, 22 Alessandro Garbisi, 23 Jacopo Trulla
Wales Team News: Faletau returns
Squad: 15 Liam Williams, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Eddie James, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Ben Thomas, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Jac Morgan (c), 6 James Botham, 5 Dafydd Jenkins, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Evan Lloyd, 1 Gareth Thomas
Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Keiron Assiratti, 19 Freddie Thomas, 20 Aaron Wainwright, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Dan Edwards, 23 Blair Murray
Italy vs Wales Prediction
Italy can record back-to-back wins against Wales for the first time in their history on Saturday, and given how poor the hosts have been over the last 18 months or so, it is hard to argue against that eventuality.
While Italy won’t pose as much of a threat as the impressive French, they still showed in their defeat to Scotland that they have enough about them to compete this year, and they already have a blueprint for success against Wales having defeated Gatland's side last year.
This is likely Wales’ best chance to avoid a second straight wooden spoon, but they are a squad bereft of confidence right now and they are likely going to suffer defeat in Rome despite the return of back rower Taulupe Faletau.
Italy vs Wales Tip: Double result – Italy/Italy
