WALES started the defence of their Six Nations title with a 42-point thrashing of Italy to record their first-ever clean sheet in the championship.

Head coach Wayne Pivac was pleased with his first outing and a five-try bonus-point win over the hapless Azzurri.

But, despite scoring 21 points in each half without conceding a point, the Wales victory did not feel as convincing as the scoreline suggested.

As Pivac admitted afterwards, his side had looked vulnerable in defence but Italian errors let his side off the hook.

“The boys want to play a bit more and at times we achieved that, but at times we might have overplayed. There is still plenty to work on.”

But the Welsh are notoriously slow championship starters and this was job done for Pivac’s side.

To zero the opponents is something Shaun Edwards failed to do with Wales, but the Azzurri were willing helpers.

Italy, under interim head coach Franco Smith, were looking for their first victory in 22 Six Nation outings but never looked like crossing the try-line.

The Azurri managed to cut open the Welsh defence on several occasions but a combination of poor handling and decision-making contrived to give away possession. 

Fly-half Dan Biggar’s boot was in fine fettle, but he showed some deft basketball skills as he handed winger Josh Adams a gift-wrapped second try in the 29th minute when he passed the ball through his legs.

Despite being 21 points down after 30 minutes, Italy ambitiously kicked penalties to touch as they sought a try, but may have been better served by kicking the points and trying to build some scoreboard pressure.

The Azzurri’s interim coach was bullish at his side eschewing kickable penalty points to get on the scoreboard and said that it was more important to instil the character to try to score tries and get more points rather than losing 42-3.

Pivac’s side could have scored at least three more tries if his players’ handling had been surer, with scrum-half Tomos Williams letting a certain five-pointer go as he dropped the ball awhile heading for the line in the first half.

But of more immediate concern for Pivac and his forward coaches was his side’s continued travails at the scrum. 

Several collapsed scrums were penalised by referee Luke Pearce, but Italy were unable to capitalise on their superiority.

This weakness at an important set-piece will be punished severely by better opponents and will be a priority for forwards’ coach Jonathan Humphreys ahead of the Welsh visit to Ireland next weekend.

Picking George North to play in the centre was an inconclusive experiment, but the giant winger was not to be denied the 40th try of his Test career to equal Gareth Thomas as the second leading try scorer in Welsh history behind Shane Williams. 

It also took North’s tally of tries in the tournament to 20 and, more importantly, it gave Wales the bonus point to take maximum match points.

North also made a storming break after the clock had gone red to give Adams his hat-trick.

After the game Pivac said: “In the first half we were caught out quite a lot to quick throw-ins. Our scrum was also messy at times.

“It was a pretty good performance. We got the five points we were after but it wasn’t easy, we had to work hard for it.

“Nick Tompkins showed he has a lot of talent and ability and people know who he is now.

“We were pleased to have held them scoreless. That doesn’t happen often at this level of the game and I’m pretty pleased for Byron Hayward.”

Italy’s Smith was asked the inevitable question about whether his side should remain in the tournament.

Smith pointed to the talent coming through in the Azzurri youth team, which beat Wales’s under 20s 17-7 on Friday night. 

“Wales are a top side. It’s a pity that we had to have our first start in this way against them.

“The result is not a reflection of the quality of the side. If you look at the game again, you will see it was errors on our side, it wasn’t a lack of commitment and ability.”

Both teams play away next weekend and Ireland will prove the first real test for Pivac’s team.