Wales can end a disappointing tournament with win over Italy at Cardiff

Wales will start as 1/8 favourites (BetFred) as they look to round off a rather disappointing 2010 6 Nations with a win when they welcome Italy to Cardiff.

After only two first team starts plus a further seven minutes as a replacement, winger Tom Prydie will become the youngest ever Welsh international on Saturday and is 11/1 with Coral to celebrate that achievement by scoring the first try of the game. A better bet however could be his opposite number Mirco Bergamasco at 22/1 (Ladbrokes).  Even though Bergamasco has yet to score a try in this year’s tournament so far and Wales are the only 6 Nations side that he has yet to touch down against, Mauro’s little brother will surely relish being up against an international rookie with so little first team experience under his belt.

Prydie is one of five changes to the team that lost in Dublin last week but Lee Byrne, who Wales coach Warren Gatland considered dropping due to both ill discipline and a poor performance, is retained in the side.  Byrne will be keen to make up for the mistakes he made against Ireland and can make amends by scoring the first try at 12/1 with 888sport.

Italian scrum half Pablo Canovosio has come off the bench in both of Italy’s last two games to claim the final try on each occasion.  He is 40/1 with Paddy Power to make it three in a row although he does get a starting spot this week so whether he is actually on the pitch near the end of the game is a doubt.

A win for Italy at 9/1 (Sporting Bet) would give them only their second away win in the 6 Nations but a loss would open the door for Scotland to possibly overtake them at the foot of the table should they win in Ireland later in the afternoon.  Odds for Italy to gain their 8th wooden spoon in 11 years are 6/1 (BetFred)

Wales have rarely turned up in the first half of games this year and the odds for them to be behind at the interval as they have been in every other game so far is a 4/1 chance with Totesport.  In spite of this Wales should still be good enough to see off Italy, especially at home, although it may not be the walkover that some are expecting.  After some decent performances this year Italy will have little to fear but ultimately they will be expected to fall short, possibly by around 11-15 points (11/2 Skybet).

Nick Mallett and his side may face an anxious couple of hours following this game waiting to see if the Wooden Spoon will be taking up residence in Rome again this year.