"It's huge isn't it"- Josh Adams talks about Wales' next challenge against the Azzurri's 

Today at 02:43 AM

Wales fell to a brutal and demoralising 43-0 defeat to France on Friday evening at the Stade de France, the first time in their history in the Six Nations they have failed to score a point. 

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You have to go back 23 years, where Wales lost just one point more than they did on Friday night, which came against Ireland, where the deficit was 44 points that day. 

Wales head coach Warren Gatland recalled a handful of experienced players for the opening match of the championship, with Cardiff Rugby's Josh Adams getting the nod to start on the left wing. However, with that added experience, they couldn't stop one of the best players on the planet, Antoine Dupont, from working his magic. 

On the comprehensive defeat on Friday evening at the Stade de France, Josh Adams said: "I'm gutted, to be honest. 

"It felt like we put a lot of effort into that as a squad for little reward really. It's a difficult assessment really. Their power game is obviously very, very good. Weirdly, I thought we actually dealt with it alright. 

"Our forwards did a really good job to gain momentum around the fringes of the ruck, which is like one of their big plays with Dupont moving. I think it was just like it'd be one missed tackle, one penalty, and we're just back into our 22 and they're so clinical there. So it wasn't as if it was like they were carving us apart and playing like the Allez, French sort of way. 

"They were physical lads, don't get me wrong and are very clinical when they get the opportunity. 

"I don't think I can't ever question anyone's commitment to this team and whoever puts this jersey on, I know they will give their right arm or right leg for this side, and I certainly would as well.

"I go out there, and I give nothing but my best every single time, I try and do what's best for the team. I think some power of other teams, tend to get on top of us sometimes and maybe we struggle to cope with that momentum. 

"There are ways to negate that but it's a lot of learning and it has been difficult at times to stop that sort of play and teams gain momentum and like you said there is a lot of boys learning on the job as we are a young side. I get that and we've said that many times haven't we. 

"I think on a positive spin from my view was the way we started the game really well, I hope that everyone could see a bit of attacking ambition from us with how we wanted to play. 

"I thought we did cause them some issues. The challenge is to do it better, because the areas we got into at the beginning of the game were really good and we have to be better at that. I'm sure this week in Nice will help.

Saturday's game against Italy after a training week in the Côte d'Azur, as ITV pundit and former Wales international Dan Biggar put it is simply the "biggest game in 15-20 years", and it is pretty hard to argue against that.

Wales have been starved of a Test win since the 2023 World Cup meeting against Georgia as Wales have now fallen to their 13th consecutive defeat. In the build-up to the meeting, it will hot up with players injured, some call ups will definitely need to be made but if they lose, will that decide the fate of Warren Gatland's future? 

In his second stint as head coach he has overseen just six wins in a total of 25 matches and a loss against Italy could leave them at the foot of the table for the second consecutive year. 

"It's huge isn't it, we said that in the changing rooms after the game," Adams admitted. 

"We've got to be a lot better in certain areas. Italy are a really good side actually, they got nice continuity haven't they. They got a twelve and thirteen who play together a lot in Treviso, they got a nice balance in the back three with some big runners and their pack seems to be cohesive, they've been together in a couple of campaigns so they are a very improved team, physical side. 

"Teams don't give them credit for how physical they are because they are a very physical team. It's going to be another battle like we had today (Friday evening), especially up front, but there are areas that we need to get better at."

Adams has been involved in some of the best moments in Welsh rugby in recent times, playing in Grand Slam deciders for Wales, but come Saturday afternoon in the Eternal city of Rome, Wales will perhaps find out their fate in this year’s Six Nations and also most certainly will Warren Gatland. 

"It's at the wrong end of the table unfortunately, but look we understand the run we've been on, its thirteen tonight and we want that to stop obviously. 

"We are working tirelessly to stop that. It is a big game for us, we understand that but not many people have given us any hope this campaign, so we are going to try and use that to our advantage and I think Nice will be a really good opportunity for us to stay tight and try and motivate ourselves to put in a big performance for the country as well," Adams concluded. 

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