Under-20s Six Nations: Wales 7-18 Italy

Italy battled to an historic first Under-20s Six Nations win over mistake-ridden Wales with front-row forwards Matteo Luccardi and Michele Mancini Parri scoring their tries.

The defeat ended Wales' slim hopes of winning the junior Six Nations.

Mancini Parri drove over early on and Luccardi added his effort in the last quarter, also from close range.

Fly-half Antonio Rizzi added the rest of Italy's points with Wales' Tommy Rogers going over soon after the break.

The visitors profited from home indiscipline to set up and score the opening try with tight-head prop Luccardi driving over from from a line-out.

Rizzi added a penalty, the only other score of a drab opening period in which home captain Will Jones limped off in the dying minutes.

The open-side had returned to lead the hosts, along with centre Corey Baldwin and lock Max Williams after being on regional duties.

Scrum-half Harri Morgan provided the final pass as Wales hit back after the break through wing Rogers, to which Cai Evans added the extras.

Rogers' try was a rare example of the hosts holding onto the ball in attack and at the other end Rizzi added a second penalty to keep Wales at bay.

Hooker Luccardi went over for the Azzuri's second close-range try and Rizzi converted to put Wales 11 points down with 15 minutes left and and that is how it stayed.

Wales Under-20s head coach Jason Strange told BBC Wales Sport:

"Firstly credit to Italy, they fully deserved their victory. I was disappointed with our first half. I thought we were quite naïve with the way we played in the conditions.

"There are lots of learnings to take from it. It wasn't through a lack of effort but we just didn't perform.

"We need to be more adaptable in those conditions and invited Italy onto us. We are looking for a reaction against France next week."

Wales U20: Cai Evans (Ospreys); Joe Goodchild (Dragons), Corey Baldwin (Scarlets), Callum Carson (Ospreys), Tommy Rogers (Scarlets); Ben Jones (Cardiff Blues), Harri Morgan (Ospreys); Rhys Carre (Cardiff Blues), Dewi Lake (Ospreys), Kemsley Mathias (Scarlets), Owen Lloyd (Cardiff Blues), Max Williams (Dragons), James Botham (Cardiff Blues), Will Jones (capt), (Ospreys), Taine Basham (Dragons).

Replacements: Iestyn Harris (Cardiff Blues), Jordan Walters (Ospreys), Rhys Henry (Ospreys), Alun Lawrence (Cardiff Blues), Lennon Greggains (Dragons), Dan Babos (Dragons), Max Llewellyn (Cardiff Blues), Rio Dyer (Dragons).

Italy U20: Michelangelo Biondelli: Alessandro Forcucci; Andrea De Masi; Damiano Mazza, Albert Einstein Batista; Antonio Rizzi, Nicolò Casilio; Danilo Fischetti, Matteo Luccardi, Michele Mancini Parri, Niccolò Cannone, Edoardo Iachizzi, Davide Ruggeri, Michele Lamaro, Antoine Kouassi Koffi.

Replacements: Samuele Ngeng, Guido Romano, Matteo Nocera, Matteo Canali, Enrico Ghigo, Luca Crosato, Filippo Di Marco, Alessandro Fusco.