The top line
Wales-Ireland in the Six Nations has been a bleak one-sided fixture in recent years with the Irish dominating, winning seven of their last eight meetings, including the last three in a row – with those three victories all coming by more than 20 points.
But today was different. A Welsh outfit fired up and hellbent on ending a 14-match losing streak following the mid-Championship exit of Warren Gatland, arrived at their iconic stadium looking to make a statement against the top-ranked team in the competition and boy did they.
The three-peat-chasing Irish landed the first blow as Jack Conan brilliantly finished off his try, one-handed, in the seventh minute with Sam Prendergast adding the extras and penalty to open up a 10-0 point lead.
It was looking as if it would be more of the same from Wales over the past 14 months but no, they fought back relentlessly with a penalty from Gareth Anscombe, either side of Garry Ringrose’s red card for a dangerous tackle, picking away at the lead before captain fantastic Jac Morgan scored a late first-half try to see the Welsh lead 13-10 at the break.
Tom Rogers’ early second-half try gave the Welsh Rugby public something that has been sorely absent, hope in this team.
However, the old cliche is that it’s the hope that kills you and despite Wales being sharper, smarter, braver and unrecognisable from the team that has been Tier One rugby’s whipping boys, the men in red fell to a 15th straight defeat.
Their demise started with a Prendergast penalty before Jamie Osborne, in his Six Nations debut, scored a crucial try with his fly-half keeping the scoreboard ticking with three more penalties.
The result means that Ireland keep their Grand Slam and Six Nations three-peat hopes well and truly alive after completing the Triple Crown, while Wales looks bound to pick up the Wooden Spoon but a revival of sorts looks is on the cards.
Praise must be lathered on the Wales effort despite yet another defeat and the nine-point margin as in just a handful of training sessions, Matt Sherratt has turned the woeful Welsh into a competitive team.
Sure Ireland’s teamsheet showed several changes but this 23 was still one that could be fielded against any other Tier One nation and the men from the Emerald Island would be expected to win.
Recently, Wales’ attack has lacked any direction, purpose or cutting edge highlighted by the nilling in round one and 15 points against Italy but today it was a complete contrast as they troubled one of the best defences in international rugby regularly.
Sam Larner dived into why Wales’ attack was so shockingly bad after the defeat to France and Sherratt quickly went about changing the tide as he took over from Warren Gatland with small but very effective tweaks.
There were far more options for the carriers with the ball in hand with forwards tipping on passes regularly throughout the 23, while Anscombe and Tomos Williams showed astute game management in their decision-making for when to attack and when to put boot to ball. It was nothing revolutionary from the caretaker boss, it was simply an attacking gameplan fit for purpose and the demands of where international rugby is right now.
Under Gatland and Rob Howley, the Welsh attack looked massively outdated and the team were simply playing in the wrong areas of the pitch and at the wrong time.
Sherratt’s selections calls were also spot on – more on that later – while the pack really rose to the challenge with the scrum putting Ireland under immense pressure particularly in the first half when Andrew Porter and Thomas Clarkson leaked penalties with just about every set-piece.
Adam Jones deserves huge props for the work he has done in such a short time with the Welsh pack since signing on as today, it gave them a route into the game and an area to put the Irish under pressure.