Key events
A point on Ringrose’s potential red.
If it is awarded – and it should be given he absolutely flew in upright from a long way out so head contact, plus degree of danger with no mitigation seems clear to me – then under the 20-min red law then Ireland will get to bring Bundee Aki on to replace him for what is likely to be the key last quarter of the game.
I cannot fathom how this law variation is seen as good or fair idea.
Wales are an unrecognisable side from a fortnight ago in all facets; shape, composure, set piece, heart, I could go on. It’s not perfect, but what do you expect after two weeks? What no-one expected was them to be up after forty minutes.
Ireland won’t be too worried, though, they’ve looked to have the number of the home side when in their red zone, but will they be able to do that enough with a malfunctioning scrum and down to fourteen men for a good bit, as looks likely?
It couldn’t be could it?
Half Time!
PEEEEP! Wales are ahead! Can you believe it?
TRY! Wales 13 – 10 Ireland (Jac Morgan)
42 mins. Drive after drive from Wales at the Irish line is repelled by an incredible defensive effort, but eventually the banging on the door blows the hinges as Morgan forces over.
Anscomble converts.
39 mins. The home side are inches away from the line after a lineout catch and drive. They are attacking on a penalty advantage and the scramble defence is rapid and effective from Ireland. It’s time for another Welsh lineout.
38 mins. A sliver of a chance for Wales as they have an overlap on the left, but the attack is too lateral which Mee then spills forward. The resulting scrum has another penalty awarded to Wales.
Adam Jones is sat in the stands nodding in quiet satisfaction
MISSED PENALTY! Wales 6 – 10 Ireland (Sam Prendergast)
36 mins. An absolute coach-killer for Matt Sherratt as Wales are penalised for blocking an Irish kick chaser on the restart. Prendergast says thanks very much, but he bounces it back off the right post!
PENALTY! Wales 6 – 10 Ireland (Gareth Anscombe)
35 mins. After all that, Anscombe kicks the original penalty.
YELLOW CARD! Gary Ringrose (Ireland)
34 mins. The home side are in the 22, but Ireland are again fanned out across the field and inviting Wales to give it their best. It’s a bit of huff and puff from the attack, but there is a penalty against Ireland. The advantage is playing out and Ringrose flies in high on Ben Thomas, it’s head on head and the centre is off for a yellow card review which I believe will be upgraded to a red.
32 mins. A scrappy lineout from Ireland on halfway leads to awkward possession that doesn’t really get going. It then coming to a halt as WillGriff John puts in a huge counter-ruck to win a penalty for his team – the prop is having quite the half.
30 mins. Ireland are back in the Wales half for the first time in a little while and they are very close to scoring again. The ball comes left to Hansen in midfield who throws and outrageous one-handed over the head pass to Osborne, but his pass to Ringrose is not good and flies into touch. A better execution from the fullback and that was another try.
28 mins. It continues to be neat and better from Wales in the middle third, but Ireland are putting no-one in the ruck and are containing the attacks like an older brother with his hand on the head of a feisty, haymaking sibling.
24 mins. Wales move the ball right quickly all the way to Mee who has moved off his left wing. As Osborne moves towards him the winger kicks it forward for Tomos Williams to chase, but Sheehan gets there first to cover it.
It’s hard to fully articulate just how much better Wales’s attacking shape is, which is some achievement given Matt Sherratt has only had then for three training sessions.
PENALTY! Wales 3 – 10 Ireland (Gareth Anscombe)
22 mins. Thomas makes up for that scrum by hammering Sheehan to dislodge the ball on the Irish 22. Wales move it right quickly and a penalty is awarded that Anscombe wastes no time in teeing up to put his side on the scoreboard.
PENALTY! Wales 0 – 10 Ireland (Sam Prendergast)
20 mins. Nicky Smith is off for Wales for an HIA, this brings on Gareth Thomas who is promptly folded in the scrum giving a kickable penalty that Prendergast calmly slots.
19 mins. As worrying as the scrum is for Ireland, so the breakdown is for Wales where if they are not being penalised they are losing possession. The precision is way off and Ireland are more than happy to snaffle the loose balls.
16 mins. More snappy phases from Ireland, the ball coming out of the ruck quickly due to Wales not committing many to the breakdown. This allows all the Irish tricks of planned phases and angled running to flourish, but it comes to an end as Mee gets a hand in on Lowe to force a knock-on. This leads to another scrum and another penalty for Wales!
Ireland’s scrum is getting marmalised.
13 mins. A story of two contrasting set pieces areas so far for Wales as the second scrum results in another penalty to the home side, this time Nicky Smith doing a job on Clarkson, that is followed by an overthrown lineout. Ireland have the ball back in the Wales half.
10 mins. Wales have the ball around the Ireland 10m line and they already look far better organised than in their last two games. Anscombe is working the attack well, but the promising position is ruined after there’s an overzealous clearout by a red player that the ref determines took a defender beyond the horizontal. A relieving penalty to Ireland.
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.
