By James Dodd
Wales have not lost to Italy for 14 years but Jonathan Davies insists the perennial wooden spoon holders should not be under-estimated ahead of Saturday’s Six Nations game in Rome.
The Italians are again bottom after three rounds of this season’s tournament, while Wales travel in the hope of setting up a Grand Slam clash with France the following week.
The last time Wales played in the Stadio Olimpico, they were victors, 26-15, two years ago and you have to go back to 2007 for the last Italian victory in this fixture.
Even so, Wales centre Davies said: “We’re giving Italy a huge amount of respect. They threaten throughout the tournament and they’ve improved.
“They have threats at nine and 10, who are their game makers.
“This week was about concentrating on this game on Saturday – focusing on what we want to improve on, the areas that we think we can keep on building and keeping up this momentum.
“We totally expect to be under the pump on Saturday at times, but it’s about how we react, how we control that and making sure we’re accurate in all the facets of the game.
“They’re playing with their heads up – they’re looking for mismatches. They’re looking at the pictures that the defence has given and looking for people to jump out of the defensive structure.
“Our big focus this week is making sure communication is up, identifying their threats and keeping to our structure. If we keep to our structure – don’t go outside that and keep our discipline – I think we’ll be in a good place.”
Having played the majority of his career at 13, the Scarlets has recently moved to inside centre, with George North filling the outside centre position.
Davies emphasised how the selection change isn’t a big deal for him, and how he’s just grateful to be involved.
“There are slight differences in start and attack. It’s something that is relatively new at the moment to me, but I’ve done it before and I’m pretty comfortable with it,” the 32-year-old said.
“For me, it’s whatever’s best for this team. If the coaches want me to be in at 12, that’s what I’ll do.
“I think what we’re building here is an opportunity to put ourselves in contention for the championship. If I have to play 12, I’m more than happy to do that.
“I think the opportunity to represent your country in the Six Nations is what it’s all about. I wouldn’t say I’d move to many other positions – I don’t think I’ve got that much adaptability, but I’m just glad to be playing.
“Hopefully, I can put a run of games together and get confidence and be in a good spot.”
The British and Irish Lion was involved in Scarlets’ Pro12 triumph back in 2017 under current Wales head coach Wayne Pivac.
Davies believes similarities can be drawn in that campaign to Wales’ change of form from 2020 to this year.
“I remember when I came back to the Scarlets – it took a while for us to find our feet.
“I think we might have lost the first three or four games with Wayne in charge. By the end of the season, we were playing some of the best rugby that I’d ever been involved in.
*That* handoff from Wales’ Jonathan Davies. #MomentOfTheWeekend pic.twitter.com/l25SI2fC2n
— Jamie Phillips (@JNPhillips4) June 19, 2016
“What has been good is the autumn was an area we could lay foundations. We knew then coming into the Six Nations was an opportunity to springboard our performances to make sure that we’re competing.
“I think it’s always the case – the more time this group spends together, the better it becomes. That foundation was laid in the hard work that was put in the Autumn, and although results weren’t what we wanted, we took positives away from it.
“I think we’re hopefully reaping the rewards from it at the moment.”