Italy v Wales: Major blow as Warren Gatland loses key duo ahead of Azzurri clash
Liam Williams and Dafydd Jenkins are both out for Wales' clash against Italy
Wales have suffered a major blow ahead of their Six Nations clash with Italy, as duo Liam Williams and Dafydd Jenkins have pulled out at the 11th hour.
Full-back Williams has suffered a knee injury, while Jenkins misses out through illness.
Liam Williams and Dafydd Jenkins ruled out of Italy clash
The duo were both named to start by Warren Gatland on Thursday, however they will now sit out the game.
Scarlets back Blair Murray comes in to start at full-back in place of Williams, with Gloucester youngster Freddie Thomas handed his first start for the national side in place of the Exeter skipper.
Thomas’ clubmate Josh Hathaway has been called onto the bench in Murray’s place, and Cardiff’s Teddy Williams comes onto the bench as well.
🚨 𝗗𝗶𝘄𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗱 𝗧î𝗺 🏴
Late changes to the side this afternoon as Blair Murray & Freddie Thomas come into the starting XV! 👇#GuinnessM6N | #ITAvWAL pic.twitter.com/nY7BWSnGEX
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) February 8, 2025
The rest of the Wales squad remains the same, and there are currently no changes to the Italian 23-man squad.
Wales v Italy squads in full
Italy: 15 Tommaso Allan, 14 Ange Capuozzo, 13 Juan Ignacio Brex, 12 Tommaso Menoncello, 11 Monty Ioane, 10 Paolo Garbisi, 9 Martin Page-Relo, 8 Lorenzo Cannone, 7 Michele Lamaro (c), 6 Sebastian Negri, 5 Federico Ruzza, 4 Niccolo Cannone, 3 Simone Ferrari, 2 Giacomo Nicotera, 1 Danilo Fischetti
Replacements: 16 Gianmarco Lucchesi, 17 Luca Rizzoli, 18 Marco Riccioni, 19 Dino Lamb, 20 Manuel Zuliani, 21 Ross Vintcent, 22 Alessandro Garbisi, 23 Jacopo Trulla
Wales: 15 Blair Murray, 14 Tom Rogers, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Eddie James, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Ben Thomas, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Jac Morgan (c), 6 James Botham, 5 Freddie Thomas, 4 Will Rowlands, 3 Henry Thomas, 2 Evan Lloyd, 1 Gareth Thomas
Replacements: 16 Elliot Dee, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Keiron Assiratti, 19 Teddy Williams, 20 Aaron Wainwright, 21 Rhodri Williams, 22 Dan Edwards, 23 Josh Hathaway
Date: Saturday, February 8
Venue: Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Kick-off: 15:15 local (14:15 GMT)
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistant Referees: Paul Williams (NZR), Sam Grove-White (SRU)
TMO: Eric Gauzins (FFR)
