Text us your thoughts on the game, especially if you are at the ground, to 81111 or email us at rugbyunion@bbc.co.uk.

By Rob Hodgetts

Full-time: "You've got to have possession. Without it you can't build pressure and get the result."
BBC rugby pundit Jonathan Davies

"Don't mean to be rude, but two years ago we won the Grand Slam, and now we've gone down to the two weakest nations in two games. Wales must be really looking forward to the Tests out here in Australia! What a shambles."
Barry Evans, Brisbane, via email

"Forza Azzurri! I am watching the game from Dublin, and it's just amazing. A greeting to all Italians in Ireland. CIAO!"
Christian, via email

79 mins: Italy commit the cardinal sin and with 10 seconds left give away a penalty. Wales' James Hook goes for the line-out instead of kicking the penalty for the draw, but then referee Chris White blows for full time. Wales are irate, surrounding White and arguing that he indicated there was enough time for the line-out but Italy are in raptures.

76 mins: TRY Italy 23-20
Sensational scenes in Rome, for home fans at least. Italy rumble to within yards of the Wales line to mounting cries of "Italia, Italia". The thin red line holds firm and must seem a mile wide as the Italian pack hammer fruitlessly away at it. But Ramiro Pez dinks a little chip over the top and flanker Mauro Bergamasco, playing in the centre, scampers through to touch down. Ramiro Pez converts.

74 mins: Italy win a penalty in Wales' half but they opt to kick the ball into the left touch. It could be death or glory.

71 mins: PENALTY Italy 16-20 Wales
Anyone's game still, this. Italian number eight Sergio Parisse makes a good break down the blindside and is just dragged down by Stephen Jones. The home side win a penalty in front of the posts and Ramiro Pez grabs the three points.

69 mins: A loose couple of minutes is ended with bodies littered over the Stadio Flaminio pitch. Wales' Shane Williams thought he was through at one point but referee Chris White called him back.

67 mins: Italy are playing some slick, fast rugby and just struggling with the final pass.

63 mins: James Hook launches another great break into midfield. He really is very good. His long pass finds Kevin Morgan but the wing is felled early. From the ensuing pile up, Italy win a penalty and Ramiro Pez wallops a kick into touch.

61 mins: Plenty of emails coming into my inbox suggesting Stephen Jones' injury was caused by a collision with his own number four (Ian Gough) instead of a punch from Mauro Bergamasco. Worth another look later.

58 mins: Italy take two scrums to move the ball out wide. They hit Wales with a series of snipes but the Welsh defence is aggressive and steadfast. Eventually the Azzurri commit an accidental offside and Wales' scrum remains solid, allowing Tom Shanklin to clear.

The ball doesn't find touch and Roland De Marigny chases his own up-and-under before committing a blatant football-style dive as he "runs" into the motionless Shanklin.

56 mins: Italy may be losing their discipline but they have lost none of their fire and are camped on Wales' line. A pile up ensues and the referee indicates an Italian scrum.

52 mins: PENALTY Italy 13-20 Wales
Italy are in danger of throwing away their earlier good work with a series of indiscretions. Referee Chris White bellows out "hands away" but Maurizio Zaffiri persists and James Hook slots another three points to stretch the lead to seven.

49 mins: Italy bully their way to within a few yards of Wales' line but are pinged for a "truck and trailer". Wales get the scrum and win a penalty and James Hook clears their lines.

44 mins: TRY Italy 13-17 Wales
Wales make a dream start to the second half. From an attacking line-out, hooker Matthew Rees bursts clear with a stunning dummy to score under the posts. James Hook converts.

"I am sitting here in Nova Scotia trying to sell cars and reading the live text updates and thinking Wales better move up a gear or my evening will be hell with my wife nagging me that my side has been beaten again. Come on Wales get running the ball and open things up."
Tony, via email

42 mins: PENALTY Italy 13-10 Wales
Wales win an early penalty for an Italian offside after some bullocking work from Ryan Jones. James Hook deputises as kicker for the groggy Stephen Jones and makes no mistake.

41 mins: Stephen Jones is back on and kicks off the second half. Italy now have the wind in their faces.

Half-time: "Wales haven't had any field position or possession and that will be a big, big worry. The forwards need to carry the ball and take it on. The Italian blitz defence is working quite well. But with the wind against them Wales will be happy enough with that scoreline."
BBC Rugby pundit Jonathan Davies

Welsh fly-half Stephen Jones is described as "woosy" and has had four stitches after an apparent punch from Mauro Bergamasco.

40 mins: Italy's back line are showing more threat than in recent times but a promising late attack comes to nothing and the half-time whistle goes.

35 mins: TRY Italy 13-7 Wales
Classy-looking Welsh centre James Hook throws a huge dummy and surges into the Italian half, making 30 yards. But Italy turn the ball over and wing Kaine Robertson launches a monster kick back behind Wales and hares upfield, beating lock Ian Gough to the bounce and scampering home under the Welsh posts. Ramiro Pez converts.

32 mins: It's a scrappy old game, with half-chances for both sides. Italy threaten with two chips over the top in quick succession before Wales break out from their own line with an incisive Shane Williams burst. Sloppy passing ends the move and Italy turn the ball over.

28 mins: Wales' fly-half Stephen Jones is splattered in blood, seemingly from a punch by Italian flanker-cum-centre Mauro Bergamasco. The citing officer will be interested in that one after the match. Jones goes off for treatment and Gareth Thomas moves to centre.

26 mins: TRY Italy 6-7 Wales
Wales centre James Hook dinks a delicate little kick over the Italian back line. Centre Tom Shanklin gathers and feeds Shane Williams who outpaces the defence to score under the posts. Stephen Jones converts.

22 mins: Gonzalo Canale concedes defeat and goes off, with flanker Mauro Bergamasco moving to centre.

18 mins: PENALTY Italy 6-0 Wales
Italy's pack is hyped up and they win another penalty on the right. The left-footed Ramiro Pez is on target again. Italian centre Gonzalo Canale limps off injured.

By the way, thanks for all the messages from around the world - we've had emails from Trinidad, New Orleans, Algeria, Romania, Ontario, Phoenix, Queensland, Florida and the Falkland Islands to name but a few.

15 mins: Wales threaten again on the left but a two-man overlap goes begging when the fingertips of Italian full-back Roland de Marigny divert the ball away from a Welsh hand.

13 mins: From the re-start, Wales full-back Kevin Morgan makes a lovely little break and chips on for Shane Williams. But the covering Mauro Bergamasco dives on the ball in his in-goal area to deprive Wales.

12 mins: PENALTY Italy 3-0 Wales
Italy fly-half Ramiro Pez slots the first penalty of the match.

8 mins: Wales break an early stalemate with a promising attack but squander the opportunity when Stephen Jones gets a pass around his ears as they edge upfield. A couple of phases later Italy get a penalty and Ramiro Pez opts to kick at goal from inside his own half. It's not a million miles away, but it doesn't go over and Wales re-start.

3 mins: After some early close-quarter group hugging, Italian centre Gonzalo Canale bursts through the Welsh line and flings a huge pass out to left wing Matteo Pratichetti who gathers on the first bounce and scampers over to touch down. But the referee rules a forward pass and Italian hopes are dashed.

1532: Ramiro Pez kicks off for Italy with the wind at their backs.

1525: It's a blustery, sunnyish day in Rome but the home fans in their Azzurri blue and thousands of travelling red-clad Welsh fans make for a vibrant scene. "Land of my Fathers" rings out around the Stadio Flaminio before the locals belt out the upbeat Italian anthem with gusto.

1522: "Good morning from Los Angeles, California. Looking for a win for Wales even if they are so-called underdogs for this match. C'mon Wales!"
Oakon, via email

1513: "Welsh fan waiting anxiously on night shift in a hospital in Brisbane. It's 26C degrees outside - hoping Wales can turn up the heat in Rome. Ymlaen Cymru!"
Barry Evans, via email

1508: "From sunny Virginia Beach, USA. Just put up my huge Welsh flag - please, please Wales, I would love to leave it up all weekend!"
Rhys Jones, via email

1500: "Writing in from Kasungu, Central Malawi, East Africa. Just under half an hour to go. I think Wales will win this one. They seem to be playing with some flair and passion even if results have not gone their way. Both sides have a lot to play for - I just think that Wales will prove to be too much for Italy. Please let us have no power cuts for the next few hours!"
David Owen, via email

1435: "I'm a Brit here in Bari, southern Italy about to watch the game with the locals, some of whom are decidedly bemused by the game - somehow I think it'll be a better place to be English than Australia has been in the last couple of months!"
Anthony Green, via email

1430: Just an hour to go to the second of the day's two Six Nations matches between Italy and Wales in Rome.

The visitors are searching for their first win of this year's tournament.

Are you in Rome, at a rugby club in Wales, logging into the website from around the world, or following the build-up on your phone while you do the weekly shopping?

Why not let us know how you are preparing for the game, what you have spotted wherever you are going to watch it and how you think the game will go.