Wales 18 Italy 18: As the match drifted into the final quarter with the sides deadlocked, there was an inevitability about the final outcome: neither team had scored a point in the last 20 minutes of their previous three championship matches and the battle to avoid the wooden spoon will be fought to its conclusion on Saturday.
Spectators greeted the final whistle with boos, impatient for Wales's first victory since the head coach Mike Ruddock was asked to stand down last month. His caretaker successor, Scott Johnson, prowled in front of the players' tunnel, clad in a tracksuit and armed with a two-way communication device, but his message got lost on the hush of the crowd.
The ghost of Ruddock haunted Wales as they played out a parody of themselves. Some of their rugby was breathtaking, such as their first try on 11 minutes, which left the Italian defence bemused by slick passing and clever movement.
But they were as one-dimensional and predictable as a team wedded to a nine-man game and naively surrendered the initiative to a side that was looking for its first away Six Nations victory.
Wales's mistakes had led to Italy's two tries in the first half, losing a lineout near their own line and then pressing ahead with a set move on the opposition's 22 even though defenders had pushed up and Matthew Watkins's long pass was intercepted.
Full-back Ezio Galon was fortunate to be awarded his side's first try after touching the ball down over the dead-ball line, having already drifted out of play, but the video referee, Eric Darriere, was not shown a conclusive replay of the incident.
If a draw marked a fair result, Italy had the greater chances to win: Ramiro Pez squandered three penalties and a drop-goal, while referee Joël Jutge should have shown Martyn Williams a yellow card for denying the Italians prime ruck ball under the Welsh posts.
l Guardian Service
WALES: Byrne; M Jones, Luscombe, Watkins, S Williams; S Jones, Peel; D Jones, R Thomas, A Jones; Gough, Sidoli; Charvis, M Williams, Owen (capt). Replacements: Phillips for Peel (9 minutes), Popham for Charvis (52 mins), Jenkins for D Jones (58 mins), Davies for R Thomas (76 mins), J Thomas for Sidoli (80 mins). Tries: M Jones, S Jones. Con: S Jones. Pens: S Jones 2.
ITALY: Galon; Canavosio, Canale, Bergamasco, Nitoglia; Pez, Griffen; Perugini, Festuccia, Nieto; Dellape, Bortolami (capt); Parisse, Zaffiri, Sole. Replacements: Castrogiovanni for Nieto (30 mins), Stoica for Canavosio (47 mins), Del Flava for Dellape (50 mins), Ongaro for Festuccia (71 mins), Zanne for Parisse (78 mins), Lo Cicero for Zaffiri (80 mins) Tries; Galon, Canavosio. Con: Pez. Pens: Pez 2.
Referee: J Jutge (France)
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