Last updated on .From the section Welsh Rugby

Wales' Robyn Wilkins takes on Italy in the 2016 Six Nations

Wales will play their 2018 Women's Six Nations match against Italy at the Principality Stadium on 11 March, as a curtain-raiser to the men's match.

The women's game kicks-off at 11:45 GMT and the men's at 15:00 GMT.

Rowland Phillips' side start and finish their Championship at Parc Eirias, Colwyn Bay against Scotland (2 February) and France (16 March).

Wales face England at the Twickenham Stoop on 10 February and Ireland at Dublin's Donnybrook on 25 February.

Wales beat Italy 30-13 at the showpiece stadium in Cardiff in March 2012, in a fixture played after the men's game.

"Playing at Cardiff Arms Park (in 2016/17) gave us the status of a growing sport in Wales and the platform to showcase what we're about, now the opportunity to go to the Stadium helps us push that up to another level," Wales coach Phillips told BBC Sport Wales.

"It's really exciting to go to North Wales, to Colwyn Bay because what Rygbi Gogledd Cymru have been doing to grow the game (in the North) is fantastic.

"There's a huge women's rugby interest there and a lot of players from North Wales have been selected, and the timing is fantastic with a senior women's team just launched by RGC."

Wales finished fifth in the 2017 Six Nations with one win over Italy and four defeats.