Wales will use the decision of the Six Nations organisers not to have a trophy present in Rome as a motivational tool for their players against Italy on Saturday lunchtime.
Warren Gatland’s side are third in the table, behind England and Ireland on points difference. Their biggest winning margin in Rome in the Six Nations is 30 points and a repeat of that would give them a points difference advantage of five over England and nine over Ireland before the day’s remaining two matches.
The new trophy will be at Twickenham, where England finish the day against France, and its replica will be sent to Murrayfield where Ireland face Scotland. The Wales players, who will watch the final game during the after-match dinner in Rome, would be presented with winners’ medals if they clinched the championship but they would not receive the cup until Sunday in Cardiff.
“It is a common sense decision to have the trophies at the grounds where the two teams with the highest points differences are playing but as a coach you use everything possible to motivate your players and it is a tool for us,” said the Wales attack coach, Rob Howley.
“We are a number of points behind but our aim is to put the pressure on Ireland and England. We have trained well this week and the forecast for Rome on Saturday is good. We have shown our intent in selection but the first aim is to win the match. You know you will get an arm-wrestle with Italy for 40 to 60 minutes and that can continue, as England found against them at Twickenham in 2013.”
England will have the advantage as the side playing last of knowing exactly what they have to do to win the title, if it has not been decided by then. Howley said he would prefer the three matches to start at the same time rather than be staggered throughout the day.
“I enjoy the last day of the Premier League in football where everyone listens to their radios for the scores elsewhere,” he said. “It creates a unique drama and it probably should be the case in the Six Nations. Going first up, we just have to win without knowing what will be enough. The others will then be aware of what they have to do, which is a hindrance to us.”
Wales have not won the championship on the final day at an away ground since Paris in 1971. They are bidding to emulate 2013 when they clinched the title in the last round after losing their opening match. “The players are hugely motivated and they have experience of delivering on the last day,” said Howley. “We have to be pragmatic early on, showing composure and patience rather than throwing the ball about; it is a Test match, not Sevens, and we respect Italy. If we were to win the title, I think it would be an even bigger achievement than two years ago.”
Wales’s cause will be helped by the foot injury that has ruled out the Italy No8 and captain, Sergio Parisse. The Leicester hooker Leonardo Ghiraldini will lead a side that contains four other personnel changes from the home defeat to France last Sunday. The veteran forwards Martin Castrogiovanni and Mauro Bergamasco return along with the prop Michele Rizzo and outside-half Kelly Haimona.
“They will miss Parisse,” said Howley. “Any team in the world would not want to be without a player of that spirit, physicality and skill. They are still a strong team without him and we will not be taking anything for granted.”
Wales team to face Italy
Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon); George North (Northampton), Jonathan Davies (Clermont Auvergne), Jamie Roberts (Racing Métro), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Webb (Ospreys); Rob Evans (Scarlets), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Luke Charteris (Racing Métro), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, captain), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Replacements Ken Owens (Scarlets), Rhys Gill (Saracens), Scott Andrews (Cardiff Blues), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Gareth Davies (Scarlets), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Scott Williams (Scarlets).
