The Wales scrum – bullied for most of the game – then coughed up a penalty and three minutes later Freddie Thomas lost his feet at a ruck, handing Tommaso Allan a shot at goal for an early 3-0 lead.
Another week, another Wales defeat, another 80 minutes where men in red gave their best as individuals but proved that is nowhere near good enough for this level.
Allan, after missing two kicks off the tee, then dinked an extra three points as Wales’s discipline unravelled.
Even with so much riding on this result, and even with the weather stifling Italy’s attacking threat, Wales simply failed to manufacture a challenge.
Edwards struck the upright from the conversion, which left Wales needing two tries to avoid a first ever defeat at the Stadio Olimpico.
