Warren Gatland faces a significant headache in the injury of NO 8 for what is the greatest game of his second spell as coach of Wales against Italy in Rome.
Gatland's testing extended to 13 games when its Welsh players were beaten 43-0 by France in its first game of the six nations in Paris on Friday night. Significantly, in addition to sending seven attempts at the Stade de France, Wales also suffered injuries.
No 8 Aaron Wainwright left the field in the first half with blood pouring a facial wound, and pronounced a lot of the seriousness of the problem that did not return. MAILSPORT understands that Wainwright had a scan on Saturday to determine the exact nature of the injury, and the Wales camp will now wait for the results.
But there are serious concerns in Gatland staff that the row striker has fractured his cheekbone. If that is confirmed, Wainwright would lose the rest of the championship.
In addition, the other No 8 in the Welsh Squadron, Taulupe Faletau, continues to fight a knee problem, one that ruled it out of the France game. Faletau did not participate in the warming of Wales in Paris, although other non -players of the 23 for France did.
He threw more concerns about the physical condition of the 34 -year -old player, even if Wales still has the hope that Cardiff's man will be fit for Italy. If both Wainwright and Faletau are considered unable to play at the Olympic Stadio, James Botham would probably intervene, as he did when he moved from the flank to the base of the scrum in Paris when Wainwright left.
Wales lost 43-0 against France in Paris in the opening match of the six nations of this year on Friday
In addition to losing the game, Wales did not lose 8 Aaron Wainwright due to an injury during the first half
Such a scenario would be a significant blow for Wales in what is a game that must win.
The Owen Watkin center is also ready to lose the rest of the six nations and spend a long period out after a serious knee injury against France.
Wales is expected to flew from Paris to Nice on Saturday for its pre-itally training field, confirm the exact nature of Wainwright and Watkin's injuries in the next few days once the results of the scanning have been received in their last Azur coast base.
Gatland is likely to call fresh faces. Max Llewellyn de Gloucester, who was an omission of shock of the initial team of Wales, is the obvious replacement of the midfield for Watkin.
Italy will be a game that defines the campaign for Wales, and it is not an exaggeration to say that the result will probably decide if Gatland will continue as a chief coach beyond.
Losing in Rome and, in all likelihood, Wales would go to the next consecutive nations without victory. Such scenario would make Gatland's position close to unsustainable.
Wales is desperate to take its los loracu-run against Italy, who was defeated from 31-19 by Scotland in its first 2025 match in Edinburgh on Saturday. That is why Gatland will expect good news about Wainwright and Faletau.
“Next week becomes quite important to us,” Gatland said after the French defeat. 'We cannot hide from that fact. We need to get the monkey out of our back at this time. We need to make sure we are intelligent in terms of the way we play to get that victory next week in Rome.
The Chief of Wales, Warren Gatland, now faces a significant pressure to deliver a victory over Italy next week
Italy also lost the first weekend when they fell to a defeat by 31-19 at the hands of Scotland
After 2024 without victories, Wales expected the New Year to bring a change of direction. But the mood in the Welsh game darkened more after the French game. The result was only a point of matching the record defeat of the six nations of the country. It was also the first time that Wales failed to score since 2007.
Gatland believes that good camp will help your team prepare for Italy away from the pressures of its homeland. But he and his players arrived at the Azur Cote on Saturday to gray skies and cold temperatures, although the forecast is scheduled to improve this week.
Wales will have to follow the planned ascending curve of the weather if they are going to defeat Italy. The Azzurri were defeated in Edinburgh, but they were well in the game with 19-19 before Scotland moved away in the last quarter.
France barely left the third march against Wales. But Les Bleus received a serious blow to his title offer when Flyfle Ntamack flying was expelled for a dangerous Tackle about Ben Thomas late.
The reckless success of Ntamack means that he is ready to face a prohibition in the region of two or three games, which would rule out him from Saturday's meeting with England and possibly also in future matches.
“He is the most disappointed of all of us,” said the captain of France, Antoine Dupont, about Ntamack. 'It happens in the games, but it is not like him doing something like what could be expensive. We have to advance, but we will certainly be without him in the next few days. We will support it the best we can.
If, as expected, Ntamack is suspended this week and, therefore, cannot face England, the chief coach of France, Fabien Gallthie, would probably change Thomas Ramos de Full-back to no 10 instead for the Trip to London. Ramos has a lot of play experience and is the first choice goals of France, even when Ntamack is in the field.