James Hook (File)

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Cardiff - Wales finished fourth for the second straight year in Six Nations rugby after a morale-boosting 33-10 win over Italy on Saturday.

Stephen Jones kicked four first-half penalties at Millennium Stadium before James Hook touched down twice against an increasingly ill-disciplined Italian side.

Shane Williams then got his ninth try in eight games against Italy, and Jones finished with 18 points in a flawless kicking performance.

"It's been pretty frustrating," Wales coach Warren Gatland said. "I felt we haven't performed to our potential. There's a couple of games we've let slip.

"We don't feel the table really reflects where we are. On our day, if we get things right and working, we can trouble any side in the world."

Wales addressed the lineout failings that put it under pressure in previous matches and helped force Italy to concede the penalties that led to a 12-0 halftime score.

Wales, however, failed to post a first-half try in any of its five matches.

Aside from a bright opening spell by Italy, Wales dominated and Hook atoned for earlier errors when he touched down in the 52nd minute.

Scumhalf Mike Phillips spun the ball left to Jones, who passed on for Hook to barge through replacement scrumhalf Tito Tebaldi and score.

Jones converted and did so again after setting up Hook for a similar score on the right five minutes later.

With confidence high, fullback Lee Byrne attacked from well inside Wales' half. Play swept upfield swiftly and Phillips was hauled down just short of the line, leaving Williams to dive over from close range.

Italy fullback Luke McLean, who had denied Hook a first-half try when he beat the center in a chase to the line, then scored a solo try to make the result more respectable.

Wales had kept Italy out with some determined tackling but McLean cut back inside and wrongfooted three players to go over between the posts, leaving Mirco Bergamasco to add to his earlier penalty with the conversion.

But Wales could have won by more.

Lee Byrne's 29th-minute try was not given because of the drifting pass he collected to break the line, while Williams missed out when in space in the second half because of a slip on the wet turf.

Hook, who had fouled up an earlier scoring opportunity by cutting infield instead of looking for the overlap, then had an easy opportunity to put the 18-year-old Tom Prydie in at the right corner.

Prydie, Wales' youngest ever player, was racing up to support Hook on the right wing but the outside center was hauled down when he chose to run the wrong line and go alone

Scorers

Wales: Tries - Hook (2), S Williams; Conversions - S Jones (3); Penalties - S Jones (4);

Italy: Try - McLean; Conversion - Mirco Bergamasco; Penalty - Mirco Bergamasco

Teams (15-1)

Wales

Lee Byrne; Tom Prydie, James Hook, Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams; Stephen Jones, Mike Phillips; Ryan Jones (capt), Sam Warburton, Jonathan Thomas; Luke Charteris, Bradley Davies; Adam Jones, Matthew Rees, Gethin Jenkins

Replacements Used: Huw Bennett, Paul James, Ian Gough, Gareth Delve, Dwayne Peel, Andrew Bishop, Tom Shanklin

Italy

Luke McLean; Kaine Robertson, Gonzalo Canale, Gonzalo Garcia, Mirco Bergamasco; Craig Gower, Pablo Canavosio; Alessandro Zanni, Marco Bergamasco, Josh Sole; Marco Bortolami, Quintin Geldenhuys; Martin Castrogiovanni, Leonardo Ghiraldini, Salvatore Perugini

Replacements Used: Fabio Ongaro, Matias Aguero, Valerio Bernabo, Manoa Vosawai, Tito Tebaldi, Riccardo Bocchino, Matteo Pratichetti

Yellow card: Mauro Bergamasco (56-66)

Referee: Wayne Barnes (Eng)

Att: 70,548