Wales aim to avoid unwanted history against Italy
Once again Wales face Italy in their final game of the Six Nations with in some ways nothing and everything on the line when they meet on Sunday, 17 May at Cardiff Arms Park (12:15 BST). For the fourth successive Championship, these teams face-off on the final weekend and for the third time, with Wales aiming to avoid a clean sweep of defeats. In 2023 it took a last-minute try by Sisilia Tuipulotu to rescue Wales and break Italian hearts in Cardiff.
But defeats in this fixture in 2024 and 2025 have seen Wales pick up consecutive Wooden Spoons. A year on from the record loss in Parma and little appears to have changed for Wales following defeats by Scotland, England, France and Ireland. Perhaps the one significant difference in 2026 is that Italy are arguably stronger.
Now head coach Sean Lynn is under growing pressure to give a tangible sign of progress and end a record losing streak in a tournament dead rubber that could have implications for his tenure. Watch every match live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app; listen to match commentaries on BBC Radio 5 Live, Sports Extra and BBC Sounds; follow live text and match highlights online Italy arrive in Cardiff as favourites - something that would have been unheard of in times gone by - but such is the state of Welsh rugby right now. After last weekend's defeat by Ireland, Lynn's side are now on the worst run in their 39-year Test history.
Since their first ever recorded match in 1987, Wales have never lost eight matches in a row. They have gone 14 without a win - between 1987 and 1993 - but a draw broke up the streak. These are records Wales do not want to be breaking and even with a win against the Azzure on Sunday, the campaign will surely be deemed a major under-achievement for this professional side.
Lynn was a serial winner at Gloucester-Hartpury but has yet to mastermind a Six Nations victory since taking charge in early 2025. A 10th loss in the competition - and a ninth defeat in a row in all Tests is not what the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) had hoped for when making the appointment. Scrum-half Keira Bevan insists the players are 100% behind the head coach but questions are starting to be asked.