Wales team invited to spend time with Prince Albert ahead of win-or-bust Six Nations clash with Italy
Warren Gatland and his Wales players have been invited to spend time with Prince Albert of Monaco during their stay on the Cote d’Azur this week.
But with the biggest game of Gatland’s second stint as head coach on the horizon, a royal visit must not be allowed to distract from the task at hand.
Ahead of Saturday’s crunch Six Nations clash with Italy in Rome, Wales are training in Nice, a short train ride from Monaco.
The aim is for them to fully focus on their massive meeting with the Azzurri, away from what head coach Gatland believes is the pressure of being at home.
A meeting with Prince Albert will be one moment of light relief and it is true that stepping away from rugby for a minute or two will benefit Wales’s young players, especially with the squad on a record Test losing run of 13 matches. That simply has to end in Rome. Italy is win or bust for Gatland and Wales.
‘It’s huge, isn’t it? We said that in the changing room after the game,’ said Wales wing Josh Adams after his team’s 43-0 hammering by France on Friday.
‘We’ve got to be a lot better in certain areas. Italy are a very good side. They’ve got nice continuity. They have a 12 and 13 who have played together a lot with Benetton.
Warren Gatland and his Wales players have been invited to spend time with Prince Albert
‘They have some dangerous runners in their back three, their pack seems cohesive and they’ve been together for a couple of campaigns now. They’re a very improved team.
‘Teams probably don’t give them credit for how physical they are. It’s going to be another battle, especially up front. There are areas we need to get better at, especially with
the ball.’
Adams (right) is one of the most experienced members of this Wales squad, which is dominated by youth. In 2019, he played in a Grand Slam decider as Gatland’s men beat Ireland to claim a clean sweep.
Many believe Saturday’s game is just as big for Wales — albeit in a different way — especially given that the outcome may decide if Gatland stays on as head coach.
‘It’s the wrong end of the table, unfortunately,’ Adams said. ‘We understand the run we’ve been on. It’s 13 now. We want that to stop and we’re working tirelessly to do that. It is a big game for us, we understand that. Not many people have given us any hope in this campaign and we’re going to try to use that to our advantage.
‘Nice will be a really good opportunity for us to stay tight and try to motivate us to put in a big performance.’
In the seven-try loss to France in Paris, Wales lost key back-row forward Aaron Wainwright to a nasty facial injury and the concern is that he has suffered a fractured cheekbone.
The biggest game of Warren Gatland’s second stint as head coach on the horizon
With fellow No 8 Taulupe Faletau struggling with a knee problem — one which forced him to miss the France game — Gatland has worries at the back of the scrum. Taine Plumtree and Ospreys duo Morgan Morris and Morgan Morse are possible call-ups.
Centre Owen Watkin suffered a serious knee injury against France and will not play again in this Championship. There is a good chance Wainwright will be in the same boat.
Wales do have centre cover in Joe Roberts and Eddie James, but there must be a temptation for Gatland to get on the phone to powerful midfielder Max Llewellyn, even if doing so would mean eating humble pie after the New Zealander left him out of his initial squad.
Adams admitted he was left ‘gutted’ by the nature of the France defeat, but the Cardiff back deserves credit for fronting up after such a result. ‘It’s never nice to be nilled. I can never question anyone’s commitment to this team,’ he said.
‘I know whoever puts the jersey on will give their right arm or right leg for this side. I would as well. I go out there and give nothing but my best every single time. But there are a lot of boys learning on the job.’
Italy were beaten 31-19 by Scotland in their opening Six Nations match, but are favourites to get the better of Wales with home advantage.
Italy won in Cardiff last year.
In 2023, Wales triumphed at the Stadio Olimpico but that, remarkably, was their last Six Nations win.
The duck simply has to be broken in Rome on Saturday.
