Padovani’s late try gives Italy historic Six Nations win against turgid Wales | SixNations 2022

So much for sentiment. This was supposed to be a day to celebrate two of Wales’ greats. Alun Wyn Jones and Dan Biggar respectively earned their 150th and 100th Test caps for their country. Cardiff’s grand arena was bathed in glorious sunshine. They were playing a team on a 36-game losing streak in the Six Nations. What could go wrong?

When Josh Adams scored a solo try with 10 minutes remaining he looked to have given his team an undeserving win. The men in red were turgid, uncreative and ill-disciplined. But Biggar’s conversion meant they had a 21-15 lead. They were back in control.

Then Ange Capuozzo collected the ball 25 meters from his own try line with a minute remaining. The diminutive fullback put on the afterburners and galloped up field as if those around him were slogging through porridge. He stepped one defender and then another. He cut back off his right foot and found Edoardo Padovani on his inside of him who skipped home. Paolo Garbisi’s extras tore up one fairytale script and underlined another that few could have predicted.

This is Italy’s first win over Wales after 16 defeats and their first ever in Cardiff. They hadn’t won a Six Nations game in seven years. The calls for them to be canceled and replaced by the vaunted South African Springboks had grown to a clamour. Those voices have been silenced by a young team still a long way from its true potential.

They started brightly and were 6-0 up after a penalty each from Garbisi and Padovani. Their aggression on the ground seemed to take Wales by surprise. It took the better part of half an hour for Wales to find their groove. A turnover in their own 22m was swiftly moved up field with Louis Rees-Zammit and Uilisi Halaholo leading the charge. Seconds later Taulupe Faletau found Owen Watkin’s run and the center stepped the prop Pietro Ceccarelli to score.

Welsh inaccuracy, though, kept Italy in the contest and two more penalties nudged the Azzurri 12-7in front. The gap would have widened if Capuozzo had managed to dot down a loose ball following Garbisi’s cross-kick to Montanna Ioane. But Italy were good value for their first half-time lead in the tournament since 2019.

Wales were sluggish from the restart and needed a superb tackle from Josh Adams to deny Ioane a try in the left corner. That seemed to spook the home side with Biggar attacking the line with greater ambition. He demonstrated his attempt by him by poking a kickable penalty out for touch on 50 minutes. It proved the right decision as Dewi Lake bulldozed over from the resulting maul. Biggar’s extras meant the lead changed hands for the fourth time.

It changed again shortly after when Capuozzo and Ioane engineered a counter from inside their try area. Another penalty on the ground 80m away gave Garbisi an easy three points. Wales looked rudderless for so much of this contest. An inability to win the physical battle at the gain line compounded a lack of creativity in midfield. If they were to get back in it they’d need an unlikely touch of class.

It came from Josh Adams. Much maligned after his failed test at center against Ireland, he gathered a pass above his head from him on 69 minutes with his heels touching the left wing. He stepped inside with little on offer. He stepped again and again and soon had nothing but space as a barrier between him and the line. It was a moment unbefitting a flat display but, nonetheless, the Italians seemed to have lost their zeal.

But Capuozzo would have the final say. A product of a fruitful under-20 programme, he was the standout among a cluster of young players who might yet change the narrative of Italian rugby. Garbisi is 21. Michele Lamaro, the captain, is 23. It will be little consolation to two Welsh greats or those who adore them, but this result is a shot in the arm for the global game.