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Josh Adams has described Wales’ Guinness Six Nations clash against Italy as “huge” as their campaign reaches a critical stage in just the second week.
Defeat for Wales in Rome would send them tumbling towards a potential second successive Six Nations wooden spoon, given that their opponents after Italy are Ireland, Scotland and England.
The statistics make for grim reading, with Wales’ 43-0 drubbing by France being their 13th successive Test match defeat, including seven Six Nations losses on the bounce.
They have not won a Six Nations game since beating Italy at Stadio Olimpico in March 2023, while in just four Tests this season the try count against them is an alarming 24.
It is a bleak picture, particularly for head coach Warren Gatland, whose record since returning for a second stint as Wales boss shows just six Test wins from 25 starts.
“It’s huge, isn’t it? We said that in the changing rooms after the (France) game,” Wales wing Adams said.
“We understand the run we’ve been on. It’s 13 (losses) now. We want that to stop, obviously, and we are working tirelessly to do that.
“It is a big game for us, and we understand that. Not many people have given us any hope in this campaign, and we are going to try and use that to our advantage.”
Gatland and his players are now in Nice, where preparations will continue for Italy, with an early focus being on injured players Owen Watkin and Aaron Wainwright.
Centre Watkin suffered a suspected serious knee injury against France, and number eight Wainwright also departed during the first half after taking a blow to his head that possibly caused cheekbone damage.
Watkin looks set for a long lay-off, while Wainwright’s fellow number eight Taulupe Faletau was unavailable to face France because of a knee issue. It is feasible that Gatland could summon squad reinforcements to the Cote d’Azur.
Italy, meanwhile, are on the back of a 31-19 defeat against Scotland, but they have toppled Wales twice in their last three Six Nations meetings, although it is 18 years since they achieved it on home soil.
Adams added: “We can make a clear improvement on things – they are not massive fixes. They are things we need to bring to the front of our minds and make a real focus point for the week.
“We have got to be a lot better in certain areas. Italy are a very good side, they have got nice continuity, and teams probably don’t give them credit for how physical they are.
“The licence we have been given to maybe play a bit more rugby with the players we have I think definitely suits us. I hope at the beginning of the (France) game we showed that.
“We did it in parts, but we definitely need to get better at it. I am sure previously you would have seen us kick the ball a lot more.
“From my view, I thought we started the game really well. I hope everyone can see there was some attacking ambition from us with how we wanted to play.
“I hope we did cause them some issues, but the challenge is we have to do it better because the areas we got into at the beginning of the game were really good.
“We have to be better, and I am sure this week in Nice will help us with that.”
