A second half brace of tries by James Hook and an 18 point haul by Stephen Jones ensured Wales completed their Italian job with a 33-10 victory at the Millennium Stadium.
Italy were their usual nuggetty selves, bringing a limited game plan to Cardiff. Wales made several basic errors in the first half and led only 12-0 but once Hook went over in the second half there was always only going to be one winner.
Italy made all the early running but to some cost. Influential centre Gonzalo Canale took a bang to the ribs to be replaced by Matteo Pratichetti while Adam Jones had to have some running repairs made as Paul James come on as a blood bin replacement for Wales as the early pace took its toll.
Stephen Jones settled early nerves to put Wales 3-0 ahead with an easy penalty. Italy then had the ball for a brief spell but were unable to find a way through the Welsh defence. Fly half Craig Gower probed with a couple of searching kicks before Mirco Bergasmasco’s first shot at the goal hit the uprights.
Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams all knocked at the door of the Italian defence but the they were found to be unwelcome guests. Robust defence held the men in red at bay and twice Wales looked to have found the way through but turnovers cost them dearly.
Italy lock Quintin Geldenhuys was penalised for not releasing Jones in a tackle and the Welsh fly half doubled the lead with his resulting penalty.
Wales huffed and puffed and looked to have blown Italy’s house down with the first try of the match but Shane Williams’s pass to Lee Byrne was adjudged to be forward. Italy then relieved the pressure when they forced an error in the Welsh scrum 5m out from their own line.
Italian indiscipline presented Jones with another shot at goal from 40m and the fly half gave Wales a 9-0 lead after 32mins with his third success of the afternoon.
A moment of James Hook magic lit up the impending gloom when he chipped over Luke McLean but the Italian full back won the race back to force the ball down over his own line. Italy then infringed at the next scrum to gift Jones another easy three points.
Hook was in the thick of the action again in the 47th minute when he sliced through from 50m but Gower cut him down just inches short of the corner flag. But the Ospreys centre wasn’t to be denied for long.
Wales camped near the Italian try-line and eventually spread the ball wide where swift passing put Hook in a hole and he burst over out wide. Jones banged over the touchline conversion to give Wales a comfortable 19-0 lead.
The writing was on the wall in the 55th minute when Italian flanker was sin binned. Reduced to 14 men, Italy ran out of numbers with a coruscating move which saw Hook race over for his second try. Jones’s conversion took the score out to 26-0.
After a spat with Mike Phillips, Bergasmasco stepped up and banged over Italy’s first points with a penalty. The two were in the thick of it again moments later when Bergamasco brought down Phillips close to the Italian try-line after the scrum half had burst clear. But Williams was on hand to mop up and pounce for Wales’s third try.
Italy stopped the rot in the 75th minute when McLean cut back in from a rare Italian attack but the match ended with Wales firmly in control.
Scorers: Wales: Try – Hook (2), Williams; Con – Jones (3), Pens – Jones (4).
Italy: try – McLean; Con – Mi Bergamasco; Pen – Bergamasco
