GMT Coverage: Listen live on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Wales & BBC Radio Cymru; text commentary and highlights on BBC Sport website and app; watch on ITV1 and S4C. Beleaguered Wales head to Rome on a record run of 13 straight defeats knowing another against Italy will put them one step closer to retaining the dreaded Wooden Spoon.

Wales don’t have the game-breaking backs that they once had. Josh Adams is in the midst of his longest try-scoring drought for Wales (eight matches), Liam Williams doesn’t have the gas to cut through defences like he did in his pomp, and Tom Rogers, who was lively against France, has yet to get off the mark.

Italy head coach Gonzalo Quesada on Thursday kept faith in the team which lost their opening Six Nations fixture when he made one change to take on Wales at the Stadio Olimpico this weekend.

Italy show faith with the side defeated by Scotland in the opening round of the Six Nations with just the one change to face Wales on Saturday.

Veteran loose forward Taulupe Faletau will play his first game for Wales since the 2023 Rugby World Cup after being named on Thursday in the starting line up for their vital Six Nations clash with Italy in Rome on Saturday.