Wales 24 Italy 3:WALES CAPTAIN Matthew Rees has hailed Warren Gatland's honesty and "massive experience" as key factors behind the World Cup semi-finalists' bid to be crowned kings of Europe.
Wales will win the Six Nations title and secure a Grand Slam – the second of Gatland’s four-year coaching reign – if they beat Millennium Stadium visitors France next Saturday.
Gatland’s squad has already collected the Triple Crown, and a workmanlike 24-3 victory over Italy has left them one win away from clinching the biggest international prize in Northern Hemisphere rugby.
Second-half tries from centre Jamie Roberts and wing Alex Cuthbert helped Wales to set up a shot at a third clean sweep in eight seasons, while Leigh Halfpenny contributed 11 points with the boot and Rhys Priestland added a penalty.
But the scoreline barely reflected the dominance Wales enjoyed throughout the contest. The hosts had led just 9-3, having made just 14 tackles to Italy’s 76.
Rees was involved in all five games of the 2008 Six Nations campaign, a season when Wales ensured Grand Slam glory by crushing France 29-12 in Cardiff. He made his comeback after injury problems, in a match punctuated by referee George Clancy’s awarding of 25 penalties.
The focus now switches to France and a quickfire World Cup semi-final rematch after Wales suffered an agonising semi-final exit to Les Bleus, losing by a point with 14 men after skipper Sam Warburton was sent off.
SCORERS– Wales: Tries: Roberts, Cuthbert. Con: Halfpenny. Pens: Halfpenny 3, Priestland. Italy: Pens: Bergamasco.
WALES: Halfpenny, Cuthbert, J. Davies, Roberts, North, Priestland, Phillips, Jenkins, Rees, A. Jones, A. Jones, Evans, Lydiate, Tipuric, Faletau. Replacements: S. Williams for J. Davies (68), Webb for Phillips (70), Owens for Rees (62), James for A. Jones (70), Charteris for A. Jones (62), R. Jones for Faletau (65). Not used: Hook. Sin Bin: Halfpenny (62).
ITALY: Masi, McLean, Canale, Sgarbi, Bergamasco, Burton, Semenzato, Lo Cicero, Ghiraldini, Cittadini, Geldenhuys, van Zyl, Zanni, Favaro, Parisse. Replacements: Toniolatti for Masi (71), Benvenuti for Canale (66), Botes for Semenzato (66), Staibano for Cittadini (51), Bortolami for van Zyl (51), Barbieri for Favaro (62). Not used: D'Apice. Scorer: Pen Bergamasco.
Attendance: 73,892.
Referee: George Clancy(IRFU).
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