But Wales U20 Coach Pat Horgan and skipper Sam Warburton will be fully aware that things will have to get better before the main obstacle in Pool D is met, France.
IRB Video: Wales U20 v Italy U20 highlights
The Italians were at their stubborn, resilient best for the first hour and succeeded brilliantly in slowing down Wales’s possession at the rucks. That made life difficult behind the scrum and for the first hour the best success came from the Welsh front five hammering away at the Italian defensive line.
The dynamic front row combination of Ryan Bevington, Rhys Lawrence and Scott Andrews were always looking for work as ball carriers and it was lock Haydn Pugh who made the running for the first home try, fittingly enough from skipper Warburton.
That try was converted by outside half Dan Biggar and the Ospreys Academy star then made the running for Scarlets centre Jonathan Davies to cross in the left corner for the second try.
The Italians hit back with a penalty from accomplished outside half Riccardo Bocchino just before the break and then showed they meant business with a blindside try from wing Andrea Bacchetti, which Bocchino converted from a wide angle to cut the deficit to a mere two points.
That wasn’t what Horgan had been hoping for following his half-time pep talk and it wasn’t surprising to see Biggar aiming for the posts, and some much needed points, five minutes later.
That success was all Wales could muster for 20 minutes as the game hung in the balance. It didn’t help Welsh hopes, or the nerves of the 4,327, to see Warburton limp out of the battle after 65 minutes and the first hour was summed out moments after he departed.
The Welsh scrum went for a pushover try and picked up a penalty rather than a try. Biggar’s penalty attempt came back off a post and Josh Turnbull knock-on the re-bound.
But Wales finally built up a head of steam at the death and 14 points in the space of two minutes gave the victory a far healthier look. Gareth Owen weaved his way through for the third try and then man of the match Biggar crossed for another.
Biggar’s conversion took his match tally to 14 points.
