Wales vs Italy: Betting Odds, Tips and Prediction: The Final Bloodbath before a Rest
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| Timetable | Saturday 19th of March at 14:15 GMT |
| Prediction | Wales to Win |
| Odds | Wales to Win by 21 @ 1.36 |
| Bookmaker | betway |
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Wales have had a disappointing 2022 campaign, especially compared to winning the title last year, but they will feel they are in for an easy ride against Italy this Saturday, the 19th of March. Can Italy finally prove they are up to snuff in the competition or will this be another disappointment that highlights the futility of any Italy match in the Six Nations betting tournament?
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Background on Wales v Italy
The first Wales v Italy game took place in 1994, and a total of 30 matches have taken place since then. In the grand scheme of history, Wales have been the dominant force, storming their way to 27 wins compared to Italy's two - the final match finishing in a draw. Italy's two wins and the draw all came during Six Nations fixtures, but those three matches still pale in comparison to Wales' grand total. Based on history alone, I believe it is easy to see why Wales rugby fans may be thinking that their money would be best spent on their home side.
Six Nations Results So Far
Anybody looking at betting on rugby would want to know the form of the two teams, which is why I have highlighted the current Six Nations standings and break-downs of both sides' individual results below. Let's see if recent performances can give us a preview of any winner.
Current Six Nations 2022 Standings
| Ranking | Country | Games Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Points Difference | Bonus Try Points | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 2 | 18 |
| 2 | Ireland | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 84 | 4 | 16 |
| 3 | England | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 17 | 2 | 10 |
| 4 | Scotland | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -8 | 2 | 10 |
| 5 | Wales | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | -27 | 2 | 6 |
| 6 | Italy | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -122 | 0 | 0 |
Wales Results
| Match | Score | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Ireland vs Wales | 29-7 | Ireland |
| Wales vs Scotland | 20-17 | Wales |
| England vs Wales | 23-19 | England |
| Wales vs France | 9-13 | France |
Italy Results
| Match | Score | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| France vs Italy | 37-10 | France |
| Italy vs England | 0-33 | England |
| Ireland vs Italy | 57-6 | Ireland |
| Italy vs Scotland | 22-33 | Scotland |
Analysis of Results
Wales look quite battered and bruised compared to pulling off a title win last year; indeed, only one win in four games so far is not an expectation many fans would have had, going into this series. Nevertheless, compared to the undeniably poor form of Italy, Wales almost look like conquering heroes. 95 points separate the two sides, which is an outrageous difference in quality between the two sides. Many pundits believe this is going to be a walk-over for Wales, and that points difference is starting to show why.
Performance in Last Year's Six Nations 2021
Can anything positive be brought to the fore, on Italy's behalf? Is there at least a glimmer of a close rivalry that we can garner from last year's performance? Italy fans that missed last year's result, look away now! A 48-7 hammering on Italy's home turf does not suggest much in the way of a tight game this year. I think it is still safe to say that it is so far so good for Wales, going into this clash.
How Players Have Scored in the Six Nations 2022 So Far
"In my last predictions, I was able to supply data on points scorers, to show the attacking capabilities of the teams that were playing. I believe teams with fantastic attacking options are the deadliest on the world stage, so let's take a look at the updated statistics, going into this final week of the Six Nations"
Wales Players' Points
| Player | Number of Tries | Number of Conversions | Number of Penalties | Number of Drop Goals | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dan Biggar | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 28 |
| Josh Adams | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Taine Basham | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Tomas Francis | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Kieran Hardy | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Nick Tompkins | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Callum Sheedy | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Total | 5 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 55 |
Italy Players' Points
| Player | Number of Tries | Number of Conversions | Number of Penalties | Number of Drop Goals | Total Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paolo Garbisi | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| Ange Capuozzo | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Callum Braley | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Tommaso Menoncello | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Edoardo Padovani | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Total | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 38 |
Analysis of Points Scoring
Italy have managed to close the gap on Wales, scoring 22 points in their match against Scotland in week four, compared to Wales' mere nine points against France, but that still leaves the Italians outgunned 55 points to 38. Italy, at least, managed to bring another two players onto their list of scorers, unlike Wales, but will that make the difference? I think it will certainly make things a closer game than most expect, but I can still see Wales coming up smelling of roses. At the end of the day, more points means more points.
The 16th Man: The Effect of the Home Crowd at the Principality Stadium
The crowd at the Principality did not manage to deliver Wales a win last week, but it certainly kept the game close, even against the so far unstoppable France. Will the Welsh crowd be able to influence the game as much this week? I feel that is the case. I expect every screaming Wales fan to put Italy on edge, even walking onto the pitch. If the Italians want to keep in the game, they will have to hold their nerve for 80 minutes against a bold Welsh crowd.
My Wales vs France Prediction Winner
It has been a long road and a harsh campaign for both teams. Both teams have had to pick up the pieces several times over the last four weeks, but I believe one team is going to walk away much the happier in the final week. I believe that team is going to double their wins and make it at least two wins out of five matches for the 2022 Six Nations. That's right, I'm predicting Wales to win this one. The gut feeling of many will say the same, and it is supported by all of the statistics. This is going to be Wales' game. Let's see if Italy can break their losing streak in the competition since 2015 next time around!
