Wales face one of the most significant games in their recent history this weekend as they travel for a showdown with Italy in Rome. On the face of it, and with the greatest respect to Italy, a jaunt to Rome shouldn't be so loaded with symbolic tension for such a proud rugby nation as Wales.

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Wales don’t have the game-breaking backs that they once had. Josh Adams is in the midst of his longest try-scoring drought for Wales (eight matches), Liam Williams doesn’t have the gas to cut through defences like he did in his pomp, and Tom Rogers, who was lively against France, has yet to get off the mark.