Wales aim to avoid unwanted history against Italy

ByCeri Coleman-Phillips

BBC Sport Wales

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.

Guinness Women's Six Nations

Sunday, 17 May, kick-off 12:15 BST

Cardiff Arms Park

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.

"He [Lynn] came into the job, he was successful with Hartpury, but he had no real experience of coaching at international level," said former Wales number eight Sioned Harries.

"The expectations were high – we haven't had the results and I think it's more than fair that questions will be asked if the team loses on Sunday.

"The last thing the girls want, and us as a nation, is to get another Wooden Spoon.

"It's extremely important the girls put in an 80-minute performance, but more importantly, they need the result."

Lynn said he was "a super proud guy" and nobody wants to be winning more than him.

"I was really upset with the England score. Everybody was saying this is first time we've scored four tries, but I was hurt. I do not want to be losing games, I do not want to be losing and not performing going out to Ireland," he said.

Lynn added that his success at Gloucester-Hartpury - where he won three consecutive Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) - did not come overnight.

"It does take time, but I completely get the frustration from the external," he said.

"Gloucester Hartpury's success came from hard work, it didn't just come. It wasn't Sean Lynn came on board and those results came, there were two years of hard graft before that."

As to when Wales could expect to see results, Lynn says "I'm not putting any timeline on it".

"All I'm saying is, we need to be moving the dial, but other teams are moving that dial as well, so we've got to make sure we're moving it faster."

Bethan Lewis captained Wales in the last two Tests and will lead the side out again on Sunday.

She says the pressure the players feel is more about putting out a performance they can be proud of.

"Probably last week [against Ireland] was the first time we've been really disappointed in what we've put on the field," Lewis said.

"There's no one that wants a win more than us, I am dying to get the W but I'm not going to take away from the work that has been done from the girls and the staff.

"I appreciate the supporters and the rest of Wales want it as well. I will ask that they stick by us and trust the process like we are."