The makeshift presentation area at the Palazzo di Venezzia and the standby winners’ press conference were all in vain. Wales recorded their second biggest RBS 6 Nations victory under Warren Gatland but - after bolting ahead in the three-horse race thanks to a George North hat-trick - they watched the trophy painfully slip out of their one-handed grasp. It was a scintillating second-half display at the Stadio Olimpico. Italy were chewed up and spat out, while Wales feasted like old emperors of Rome. Gatland’s side will take face from the performance and, looking ahead to the World Cup, the Kiwi rounded off the competition with no anxieties about September’s pool of death.Warren Gatland's side took a slender 13-14 first half lead out in RomeGiovanbattista Venditti went over for Italy's try after Jamie Roberts had scored Wales' openerWithin the first fifteen minutes of the second-half Wales scored three quick-fire tries to go 13-35 upThe Welsh domination continued as Italy went down to 14 men twice, and Wales scored 47 unanswered points
_, meanwhile, will be easy meat at the World Cup if they do not improve their flaky blue line of defence.