NEVER has a draw felt more like a defeat. For this was a game Wales, for all their problems on and off the field, were expected to win more or less at a canter.

After all, Italy had never even achieved a point away from home in the Six Nations Championship and Wales, though suffering hefty defeats at Twickenham and Lansdowne Road, were back at their favourite Millennium Stadium headquarters.

Pretty much a foregone conclusion when the rivals got to grips with one another again on Saturday, then. But the Azzuri clearly hadn't read the script and Wales suffered another shock in a season which is turning out to be full of them.

Once again Wales flattered to deceive as they eased into an early lead courtesy of a third- minute Stephen Jones penalty and a smart try by fit-again wing Mark Jones, who scorched over after a soaring touchkick by Stephen Jones and neat interplay between Hal Luscombe and Shane Williams.

But by then key scrum-half Dwayne Peel had been helped off with a damaged shoulder joint which will keep him out of next Saturday's Six Nations finale against France, and possibly for the rest of the season.

Sure enough, the Italians retaliated, though they enjoyed one of many lenient refereeing decisions by Frenchman Joel Jutge when he controversially allowed a try by full back Ezio Galon after he had grounded the ball over the deadball line.

No matter, so the army of fans thought, especially when Stephen Jones corkscrewed in and out of tackle for the second Welsh try, which he also converted after 23 minutes for a 15-5 lead.

Everyone expected Wales to build on that, but instead what they got was a mistake-ridden hour as unbelievably Wales allowed their clear advantage to slip as they dropped the ball frequently, got turned over, showed no direction and appeared rudderless, without any form of plan.

The players have now got the coach they want, however temporarily, and Scott Johnson was previously, and still presumably is, the skills coach. Yet ironically where Wales were so clearly lacking was in the basic skills of the game.

In fact, the post-match statistics revealed they made a staggering 32 errors. Something's wrong somewhere. So from establishing a 10-point lead Wales simply meandered through the game, even managed to lose their advantage as they conceded 13 unanswered points before scrambling level and scraping a draw when Jones landed a 53-yard penalty after almost an hour.

Wales couldn't overhaul the Italians in the remaining 22 minutes as the crowd went silent in sheer disbelief.

In fact, Italy had more chances, for outside-half Ramiro Pez, who limped through the latter stages after injuring a thigh muscle, missed three penalty attempts and a conversion, while Pez and replacement Cristian Stoica both failed with long-range dropped-goal shots.

The huge number of injuries Wales have suffered since winning the Grand Slam last season has been an extenuating factor so far this season, but that won't really wash against Italy, especially playing at home, even if Peel has now added to the number.

The game was there for the taking against supposedly inferior opposition, and it says much for the way the Italians have progressed that rather than celebrate their first away point in the championship they were disappointed with the draw.

Wales had allowed themselves to be bossed around, it has to be said. Instead of sorting the Italians out at the line-outs they let them get away with their spoiling tactics in the line-outs, and they completely failed to impose themselves up front.

There was no dynamism, little evidence of ball carrying, though acting captain Michael Owen tried to improve his rate in that area, while there didn't appear to be any direction or game plan.

Italy deservedly provided the man-of-the-match award-winner as well, clinched by centre Mirco Bergamasco, who proved a handful all game with his thrustful running, often lunging through Matthew Watkins, who himself started brightly by brushing Pez aside several times.

Watkins' pass was intercepted by Pablo Canavosio just outside the Italian 22, the winger then racing 75 for his first try in international rugby, Pez converting in addition to kicking two penalties.

But Johnson, despite sending on five of the seven replacements, failed to conjure up anything different and it was a mystery why Gavin Henson was one of only two players who didn't get on, especially when he might have been just the player to land a late long-range penalty shot.

A game which had promised so much for Wales petered out dismally. World champion boxer Joe Calzaghe had given Wales the right send-off as he led the team out to rapturous applause from the crowd. It was just a pity Wales failed to punch their weight.

France now loom large in only five days' time, and if Italy can draw at the Millennium Stadium the prospects for next Saturday have to look pretty bleak.

In fact, the next big home triumph at the Millennium Stadium could occur in the summer, not during the rugby season at all, if Calzaghe gets the chance to let his fists fly against Roy Jones in July.

Wales: L Byrne, M Jones, H Luscombe, M Watkins, S Williams, S Jones, D Peel (M Phillips 8), D Jones (G Jenkins 56), R Thomas (M Davies 70), A Jones, I Gough, R Sidoli (J Thomas 74), C Charvis (A Popham 51), M Owen, captain, M Williams.

Scorers - tries: M Jones, S Jones; conversion: S Jones; penalties: S Jones (2). Italy: E Galon, P Canavosio (C Stoica 46), G Canale, M Bergamasco, L Nitoglia, R Pez, P Griffen, S Perugini, C Festuccia (F Ongaro 66), C Nieto (M Castrogiovanni 24), S Dellape (C Del Fava 49), M Bortalami (captain), S Parisse (A Zanni 72), J Sole, M Zaffiri (A Lo Cicero 79). Scorers - tries: E Galon, P Canavosio; conversion: R Pez; penalties: Pez (2).