Three years, no Six Nations wins – how Welsh rugby has changed since 2023

Wales won in Rome when full-back Liam Williams, wing Rio Dyer and number eight Taulupe Faletau crossed to go along with a penalty try and eight points from fly-half Owen Williams.

The side featured captain and hooker Ken Owens, flanker Justin Tipuric and hooker Scott Baldwin, who have retired from professional rugby.

Full-back Williams, George North and Rhys Webb are no longer on the Test stage with the latter retiring from Test rugby before the 2023 World Cup and subsequently being banned from playing for four years for a doping violation in France..

Nine of the matchday squad that lined up in Rome are in the current squad – full-back Louis Rees-Zammit, wing Josh Adams, centres Mason Grady and Joe Hawkins, scrum-half Tomas Williams, loose-head prop Gareth Thomas, tight-head Tomas Francis, locks Dafydd Jenkins and Adam Beard.

Flanker Jac Morgan and number eight Faletau are injured while wing Dyer and open-side Tommy Reffell were overlooked.

Wales legends Alun Wyn Jones and Leigh Halfpenny were dropped for the fixture three years ago while fly-half Dan Biggar missed out due to a back injury.

The 2023 squad had a core of experienced international performers while just six of Steve Tandy’s matchday 23 in Dublin were Test half-centurions.

Wales v Italy 2023: L Williams; Adams, Grady, Hawkins, Dyer; O Williams, Webb; Wyn Jones, Owens (capt), Francis, Jenkins, Beard, Morgan, Tipuric, Faletau.

Replacements: Baldwin, Thomas, Lewis, R Davies, Reffell, T Williams, North, Rees-Zammit.