In a significant move for the struggling Welsh team, head coach Steve Tandy has chosen to retain an unchanged starting lineup for their Six Nations finale against Italy this Saturday at the Principality Stadium. This marks the first time in Tandy's nine games at the helm that he hasn't made changes to the starting side, underlining confidence in the group despite their difficult campaign.
Aaron Wainwright, who was nursing a leg injury, has been declared fit to play. However, Scarlets fly-half Sam Costelow remains sidelined due to an ankle issue, not returning since Wales' defeat to Ireland. The only adjustment to the match-day 23 sees Blair Murray from Scarlets replace Bath’s Louie Hennessey, who earned his first cap in the upsetting defeat against Ireland.
"Having an unchanged team reflects the cohesion and the consistency in the group and the consistency of performance out in Ireland," said Tandy.
Wales enters the final match of the tournament seeking their first win, having lost all four previous games. The team has not secured a home victory against Italy since 2020 and is eager to break a 15-match losing streak in the competition. To avoid finishing at the bottom of the table, Wales needs either a resounding 50-point victory over Italy or to rely on France to defeat England similarly.
"This week we need to go up another level," Tandy stated. "We've had some good performances. There were parts against France, then we built up into the Scotland game where I thought we were very good. Against Ireland we stepped up to the plate physically. Now it's putting it all together and creating our best performance this weekend."
Wales also aims to celebrate their first home Six Nations victory in four years, the last time being against Scotland in February 2022.
Tandy expressed his anticipation of returning to the stadium. "For the team and myself, going back to Principality Stadium is amazing. The boys did well creating their own energy against Ireland, but there's nothing better than being at home. The fans have been incredible and I think they're behind the team and the team are putting in performances to represent our nation."
When asked if the focus should be on performance or result this week, Tandy prioritized growth in play. "I think performance is key. If we get the performance, the result will follow. I want both, if I'm honest. I genuinely believe in this group and can see where we want to go in the distance, but also understand the here and now."
He added, "The performance will get us closer. You see in games, the bounce of the ball might not always go your way, but what we have to be is consistent. We want to produce a performance that replicates what we did over the last few weeks, but also makes it better."
Meanwhile, Italy comes into the match having recently pulled off a notable victory against England, making three changes to their starting fifteen for the clash against Wales. Scrum-half Alessandro Fusco, tight-head prop Muhamed Hasa, and lock Federico Ruzza will join the lineup, with Welsh-speaking Exeter scrum-half Stephen Varney taking a spot on the bench.
As both teams prepare for this critical match, all eyes will be on the pitch come Saturday, March 14, at 16:40 GMT. Wales seeks to turn their fortunes around while Italy aims to build on their recent success in the tournament. The clash promises to showcase a battle of determination as each side vies for a vital win in the Six Nations competition.