This was the first capped match between Wales and Italy on a cold Tuesday in January 1996 at the Cardiff Arms Park. Wales received a huge shock after coasting to an early 31-6 lead as Italy scored two tries and dominated the later stages to run up twenty points without reply.
Coach Kevin Bowring put out an exciting young set of backs that included debutants Arwel Thomas, Matthew Wintle and Leigh Davies, as well as Gwyn Jones and Andrew Lewis in the pack. Davies was a teenager, being a month short of his 20th birthday.
Both fly halves, Thomas and Diego Dominguez, kicked sixteen points and Thomas also turned in an exciting display of running and dodging.
