Wales v Italy, Six Nations, March 20
Italy eye Wales upset
John Griffiths
Wales centre Tom Shanklin reaches out to score, Italy v Wales, Six Nations Championship, Stadio Flaminio, Rome, Italy, March 14, 2009
Tom Shanklin scored the winner against Italy in 2009 © Getty Images
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This weekend's Six Nations clash between Wales and Italy at the Millennium Stadium will be the 17th Test meeting between the two sides.

An Italian victory would equal their best return of two Championship victories in a season while Wales are in desperate need of ending their tournament on a high. Last season saw Wales make a number of changes for their trip to Rome, with replacement Tom Shanklin's try sparing their blushes and sealing a 20-15 win.

Wales lead the all-time series, that began in 1994, by 13 wins to two and there was a draw at Cardiff in 2006.

Wales set the records for the highest score, biggest winning margin and most tries in the series with their 60-21 win in Treviso in 1999 when they scored seven tries. They equalled the margin in their 47-8 Cardiff win on their way to a Grand Slam in 2008.

The best Italian performance of the series was in the 2003 Six Nations when they defeated Wales for the first time - 30-22 in Rome, scoring three tries.

The highest individual contribution to a match in the series is 30 points by Neil Jenkins in the friendly played in Treviso in 1999. Diego Dominguez scored 18 (five penalty goals and a dropped goal) to establish the Italian record in Rome in 2001.

Gareth Thomas created the record for most tries in a match. He crossed four times for Wales in Treviso in 1999. No Italian player has scored more than one try in a match.

Thomas shares the Welsh record for most tries in the series with Shane Williams on eight. Neil Jenkins is the leading points scorer with 128 for Wales in his six appearances between 1994 and 2001.

Diego Dominguez, who appeared in eight of the matches, holds the Italian scoring record with 112 points. The late Ivan Francescato and Carlo Checchinato, the current Italian team manager, each scored two tries in the matches.

Alessandro Troncon and Martyn Williams made most appearances in the matches playing 11 times each.

Italy v Wales Six Nations results:
2000 Wales 47-16 (Cardiff)
2001 Wales 33-23 (Rome)
2002 Wales 44-20 (Cardiff)
2003 Italy 30-22 (Rome)
2004 Wales 44-10 (Cardiff)
2005 Wales 38-8 (Rome)
2006 Drawn 18-18 (Cardiff)
2007 Italy 23-20 (Rome)
2008 Wales 47-8 (Cardiff)
2009 Wales 20-15 (Rome)

  • Click here for Italy's complete Test record in Statsguru

  • Click here for Wales' complete Test record in Statsguru

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