Wales v Italy: match betting preview, TV details and free tips

Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for Wales v Italy in the Six Nations.

Where to watch

BBC1, S4C & Virgin One, 2.15pm Saturday

Best bet

Italy +24
2pts 10-11 bet365

Match preview

New Wales coach Wayne Pivac has probably the hardest task of the four new coaches at the helm in this year's Six Nations, taking over from Warren Gatland who won four titles in his 12-year spell.

But he has at least chalked up one game in charge after Wales took on the Barbarians in December and a home clash with Italy is as comfortable a start to the year as you could wish for.

His opposite number Franco Smith takes over a team who have not won a Six Nations match for nearly five years - a run of 22 defeats - and whose best player Sergio Parisse has all but called time on his international career.

Smith's predecessor Conor O'Shea managed to lift Italy's performances, notably upping their tryscoring power. Tallies of 12 and ten tries in the last two championships were big improvements on previous years - notably a low of just four in 2012 - and full-back Matteo Minozzi, who bagged four tries in 2018, is back having missed out through injury last year.

Italy's scoring potential could help them keep the score closer than the 24-point handicap in this opening encounter.

The Azzurri have been given a start of at least 20 points on their last four trips to Cardiff and they stayed within the line three times - the exception was a 67-14 thrashing in the final round in 2016.

Wales found tries harder to come by last year, and their tally of ten matched that of Italy even though the teams ended up at opposite ends of the table.

Pivac want to bring more width to the Welsh game but a transition like that can take time and injuries have enforced a reshuffle to the Wales backline.

Liam Williams and Jonathan Davies miss out so winger George North moves to centre and Johnny McNicholl makes his debut on the wing. It could be an exciting unit but there may be an element of unfamiliarity and uncertainty early on.

A key factor for Italy will be that they keep fighting to the end. They scored three tries in the final ten minutes against Scotland in the first round last year to reward their handicap backers.

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