Wales Sweep Aside the Blues

Wales brought the Six Nations’ weekend to a close with a 38-14 bonus point victory over Italy at the Principality Stadium. It was a strange sort of game with the result never really in doubt after Wales scored two tries through Parkes and North in the opening minutes. They then let Italy back into the game for long periods with a rather listless, disjointed display symptomatic maybe of the ten changes that they had made to the team.

In Minozzi, their full back, Italy have uncovered a gem and he has sparkled throughout the championship. He made Liam Williams look a bit foolish when he jinked his way past him for an Italian try. I am not sure if the incidents are related but Williams was later yellow carded for a reckless high tackle on the self-same Minozzi behind the Italian goal line.

Wales were shorthanded for 20 minutes of the second half when Gareth Davies also received a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on. Despite this, they ran in another three tries with Hill, North and Tipuric crossing the whitewash. Italy did manage a second try but really they were always going to finish a distant second.

Wales have now moved up to second place in the Championship and Gatland has silenced his critics who were not wholly impressed by the sweeping changes that he made. It certainly was not a vintage performance by Wales against a mediocre Italian team who with their limited resources find five tough games in such a short period a daunting prospect.

Did we learn anything? The front five performed adequately, the back row were busy and skilful but we lacked a ball carrier, Anscombe and Watkin are sound, North seems to have regained his appetite (in a Welsh jersey anyway) and Liam Williams looks out of sorts with Halfpenny looking sharper when he came on. I think we probably knew all that anyway. Still, we have rested a few players who should be raring to go for the French game and have won comfortably. That is not to be sneezed at.

The interesting thing is who will play fly half against France and who will play in the back row? The first choice front row and Alun Wyn Jones must surely return but will Shingler and Navidi be brought back to play alongside Faletau. The French have formidable ball carriers so we need to counter that so is Moriarty a possible starter? Did Tipuric or Davies do enough to keep their shirts? It would be tough on Shingler and Navidi if they missed out as there were both impressive against England and Ireland.

In the backs we must have a top line goal kicker and I think Halfpenny looks the man to play at fullback. Scott Williams returns and North and Evans have done enough to keep their places but who will be in No. 10? I suspect it might be Dan Biggar but who knows?

Why am I even bothering to think about it anyway? – all will be revealed on Tuesday.