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8 mins. A summation of what Ireland are all about with that try; efficient, powerful and not wasteful of an opportunity. Wales’s heads went down early under Gatland and this is a test of whether Sherratt has injected a bit more belief as they’ve not done a huge amount wrong to be behind.
TRY! Wales 0 - 7 Ireland (Jack Conan)
6 mins. A strong first phase attack from Ireland moves the ball left quickly. They are into the Wales 5m zone and the visitors inevitably drift offside as they defend frantically. The ball is put in the corner for a lineout which is won and two phases later Conan drives over the line.
4 mins. The scrum ends with a Wales penalty after WillGriff John forces Porter to the floor. The clearing kick and lineout gives phased possession in the Ireland half, but the ball is not secured and Ringrose puts in a delightful drilled, bobbling kick up the right touchline. It’s a 50:22 and Ireland will have the ball in the Wales 22.
2 mins. A sensible recycle and clear from Wales is returned with interest by Ireland with a kick putting Murray under pressure as the green chasers bear down on him. The fullback bounces the kick forward off his hands and the visitors will have and attacking scrum in the Welsh half.
Kick Off
Ref Christophe Ridley blasts his whistle and Prendergast boots us underway.
The roof is closed, “Thunderstruck” is booming out as the pyrotechnics flash and pop. Into the cacophony emerge the teams led by their young captains Jac Morgan and Dan Sheehan. We’ll have the usual formalities before kick off.
“Fingers crossed for the Triple Crown!” japes Martyn Fairbrother. “Realistically, though, hoping for less bad than against France.”
Pre match reading
Get in touch on email with your thoughts on the match or anything else. What are your realistic targets as Wales fans in what could be a very tricky afternoon? And if you’re of the green persuasion, are you wearing the favourites tag lightly?
Teams
Matt Sherratt restores some semblance of order by recalling Gareth Anscombe to the ten shirt, moving Ben Thomas into a more familiar role of inside centre. Elswhere in the backs there’s a recall for Max Llewellyn at 13, Scarlets youngster Ellis Mee is on the wing and Blair Murray is at fullback. The latter two changes forced by injury to Josh Adans and Liam Williams.
In the forwards, WillGriff John is in at tighthead while Tommy Reffell is given the the job of disrupting Ireland’s terrifying breakdown work in the back row.
Ireland on the face of it have made a lot of changes, but many are more a return to the norm as players come back from injury - Mack Hansen and Joe McCarthy the most obvious – or a rotation of quality for quality like Henshaw replacing Bundee Aki at centre. Jamie Osborne at fullback and Tom Clarkson at prop appear to be genuine “let’s have another proper look at you at this level” selections.
Wales: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Max Llewellyn, Ben Thomas, Ellis Mee; Gareth Anscombe, Tomos Williams; Nicky Smith, Elliot Dee, WillGriff John; Will Rowlands, Dafydd Jenkins; Jac Morgan (capt), Tommy Reffell, Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements: Evan Lloyd, Gareth Thomas, Henry Thomas, Teddy Williams, Aaron Wainwright, Rhodri Williams, Jarrod Evans, Joe Roberts.
Ireland: Jamie Osborne; Mack Hansen, Gary Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan (capt), Tom Clarkson; Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne; Peter O’Mahony, Josh Van der Flier, Jack Conan.
Replacements: Gus McCarthy, Jack Boyle, Finlay Bealham, James Ryan, Cian Prendergast, Conor Murray, Jack Crowley, Bundee Aki.
Preamble
A match of contrasts awaits. Wales are a team on zero wins from fourteen attempts, shorn of a legendary head coach for the second time and a squad with so many lineup changes it’s like Mark E Smith is is charge. But, in defence of the actual new man in charge, Cardiff’s Matt Sherratt, many of this week’s selection swaps do put people back in the position they regularly play – a novel idea that only bold new thinking could deliver. Apparently.
Ireland meanwhile come off the back of dishing out a whomping to Scotland – their second win of the tournament – and have taken the selection approach that you don’t change the engine in the threshing machine simply because what you’re feeding into it is softer this week. Plus, the Triple Crown and the possible third championship on the bounce is still on.
So begins the second post-Gatland phase for Wales; redefining what constitutes success, in the face of what will undoubtedly be an onslaught on home turf.
