Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Ireland steamroll Wales in Cardiff with statement win

By PA
Press Association

Ireland underlined their status as the world’s top team and Guinness Six Nations title favourites by brushing aside Wales 34-10 in Cardiff.

ADVERTISEMENT

Warren Gatland’s return as Wales head coach had no fairy-tale script, with Ireland inflicting a considerable dose of reality.

They had the game won by half-time through tries from number eight Caelan Doris, lock James Ryan and wing James Lowe – a 70-metre interception score – while captain Johnny Sexton kicked three conversions and two penalties.

Video Spacer
Video Spacer

Wales, 24 points adrift at half-time, were vastly improved in the second period and Ireland did not score between the 27th and 72nd minutes, but the damage had already been done and flanker Josh van der Flier’s late try, converted by Ross Byrne, secured a bonus point.

Full-back Liam Williams scored a try for Wales – he was also yellow-carded in the second half – and Dan Biggar added a conversion and penalty, yet they never threatened to prevent Ireland from claiming a first Six Nations victory on Welsh soil since 2013.

Ireland, the world-ranked number-one side, host France next weekend in a game that could shape the title’s destiny, while Wales head to Edinburgh for an appointment with Scotland when Gatland will demand an immediate response.

It was another defeat after a miserable 12 months that featured humiliating home losses to Italy and Georgia under Gatland’s predecessor Wayne Pivac, while off the field the Welsh Rugby Union has been rocked to its core by sexism and discrimination allegations in the organisation.

ADVERTISEMENT

And Ireland were in no mood to allow Wales a reprieve, dominating every critical area, most notably the battle up-front.

Scrum-half Jamison Gibson-Park was ruled out with a hamstring injury as Ireland were forced into making a late change with Conor Murray replacing him, while Munster’s Craig Casey provided bench cover.

Related

Wales had been forced into changing their line-up on Thursday, with Williams coming in for full-back Leigh Halfpenny, who suffered a back spasm during training.

Ireland needed just two minutes to deliver a reminder of their quality, scoring from an opening attack that was all about patient build-up play.

ADVERTISEMENT

They went through the phases close to Wales’ line, before Doris powered over and Sexton’s conversion gave Ireland a dream start.

Ireland’s high-tempo game had Wales in all sorts of trouble, and they moved 14 points clear with only nine minutes gone.

Wales could not deal with Ireland’s impressive ball-carriers, and after sufficient dents had been made in the home defence, Ryan claimed their second try, with Sexton again converting.

Wales needed something to stir them, and wing Rio Dyer almost provided it when he broke clear following an Irish midfield mistake, but full-back Hugo Keenan beat him to the ball behind Ireland’s line.

Biggar opened Wales’ account through a 15th-minute penalty, but Sexton quickly cancelled that out with a penalty from in front of the posts, closing a dominant first quarter from his team.

But the visitors had no intention of slowing down, and Wales were unlocked again when Biggar’s intended pass to Williams found Lowe instead, and he sprinted clear to touch down, before Sexton again converted.

Ireland were in cruise control, leading 24-3 with almost an hour of the game remaining, and Wales already appeared in damage-limitation mode.

Another Sexton penalty made it 27-3 at the interval, and even when Wales flanker Jac Morgan found a way over Ireland’s line, prop Andrew Porter got underneath him to prevent a try.

Wales began the second period with far greater intent, and Williams’ 45th-minute try – converted by Biggar – at least gave the home supporters something to shout about.

It was a far better performance by Wales, with Dyer a consistent threat to the Irish defence, yet the lineout remained Wales’ problem area in contrast to Ireland’s exemplary set-piece efforts.

Liam Williams was then sin-binned for a shoulder-led challenge on Sexton, and Ireland moved past 30 points through Van der Flier’s score that underlined Wales’ shortcomings.

ADVERTISEMENT

O2 Inside Line: All In | Episode 5 | Making Waves

Confidence knocks and finding your people | Flo Williams | Rugby Rising Locker Room

Tackling reasons for drop-out in sport | Zainab Alema | Rugby Rising Locker Room

Krakow | Leg 3 | Day 2 | HSBC Challenger Series | Full Day Replay

Kubota Spears vs Tokyo Sungoliath | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Jet Lag: The biggest challenge facing international sports? | The Report

Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry? | New Zealand & Australia | Sevens Wonders | Episode 5

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

G
GrahamVF 45 minutes ago
How 'misunderstood' Rassie Erasmus is rolling back the clock

You said somewhere - couldn’t be bothered to find the exact comment - that none of the home nations tested schoolboys. Obviously another Irish fact.


England teenager given drugs ban | Rugby union

The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com › rugbyunion.paulrees

08 Apr 2005 — The schoolboy was tested at a squad session for young England players on February 12 and the sample showed up 19-norandrosterone, a metabolite ...


England, New Zealand and South Africa the three preeminent rugby nations all test schoolboys because they believe that peer and parental pressure is highest at elite schoolboy level.

176 Go to comments
J
Julio Langworth 47 minutes ago
'Individuals are stepping up': Vern Cotter on Beauden Barrett's influence

In 2024, I received a substantial tax refund, which I saw as a golden opportunity to improve my financial situation. Eager to invest, I became interested in Bitcoin, a digital currency that many believe represents the future of finance. Unfortunately, my excitement led me to a fraudulent company that promised incredible returns on investments. Their persuasive tactics and seemingly legitimate operations drew me in, but it didn’t take long for me to realize that I had been deceived, and my hard-earned money $572,000 had vanished.Feeling devastated and hopeless after losing such a significant amount, I reached out to a friend who had faced a similar ordeal. They recommended a company called GRAYWARE TECH SERVICES , which specializes in recovering lost Bitcoin. Although I was skeptical, my desperation pushed me to contact them for help.From the very first interaction with GRAYWARE TECH SERVICES , I was impressed by their understanding and willingness to help. Their team guided me through the recovery process, providing the support I needed during this challenging time. They explained each step clearly and kept me informed throughout the entire journey. Their dedication rekindled my hope of recovering my lost funds.Thanks to the diligent efforts of GRAYWARE TECH SERVICES , I was able to reclaim my stolen Bitcoin. This experience not only restored my financial situation but also taught me invaluable lessons about the importance of conducting thorough research before making any investments. I now have a solid investment strategy in place and am much more cautious about where I allocate my funds.I want to emphasize the importance of being vigilant in the world of cryptocurrency. While Bitcoin offers tremendous potential as an investment, it also attracts scammers looking to exploit unsuspecting individuals. If you find yourself in a similar situation, I strongly encourage you to seek help from a trustworthy recovery service like GRAYWARE TECH SERVICES .Investing in Bitcoin can be a rewarding venture, but it is crucial to approach it with caution. Always perform comprehensive research and remain skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true,but if fallen victim to scam a GRAYWARE TECH SERVICES is available for you.You can reach them on whatsapp +18582759508, web at ( https://graywaretechservices.com/ )    also on Mail: (contact@graywaretechservices.com)

3 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ Why Jacob Stockdale 2.0 is ready for an Ireland renaissance this summer Why Jacob Stockdale 2.0 is ready for an Ireland renaissance this summer
Search