Ireland v Wales - teams and prediction
SIX NATIONS, ROUND FOUR: Ireland welcome Wales to the Aviva Stadium, Dublin, for a blockbuster Friday night clash as the Championship enters its penultimate weekend. This fixture could prove pivotal in the title race.
The Welsh face an Irish side who rediscovered their vim with a 42-21 thumping of England at Twickenham in the previous round of matches.
Not many people will back the Welsh to end their 14-match Six Nations losing run.
Their last win in Dublin in a Six Nations match dates back to 2012, and they have lost their last four games against Ireland.
Nevertheless, former Welsh international Alix Popham found reasons for optimism in their23-26 loss to Scotland, a match the Scots edged with a try six minutes from time.
It was a markedly improved display compared with Wales’ opening two outings – a 7-48 thrashing by England at Twickenham followed by a 12-54 humbling at the hands of France in Cardiff.
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“It provides hope,” Popham told AFP by phone on Wednesday.
“That is what we always want from Wales, to compete at that level against a very good Scotland side who stuffed England the week before.
“It was really encouraging but doing it back-to-back is a different kettle of fish.
“So long as they roll their sleeves up and play for the jersey, that is all one can ask.”
Popham, a dashing flanker in his prime who won 33 caps from 2003-08, said the players would have been feeling the pressure of the dire results in a country that is passionate about the sport.
“If you are not doing a good job, it would weigh heavily on your shoulders because you want to perform, be it your job, your marriage, your kids, and you get down if you are unable to,” said Popham.
“We are a proud nation and the support is fantastic and the boys would want to do well for the supporters and their families.
“They definitely feel the weight on their shoulders if they are not performing to the highest level.”
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‘Pay the consequences’
Ireland coach Andy Farrell expects Wales to arrive “with a spring in their step” and is mindful of the tight result last year – the Irish won 27-18 in Cardiff.
“It’s been written many a time about the decline and how unfortunate it’s been,” said Farrell at his pre-match press conference on Thursday.
“From what I’ve seen from game one, like ourselves, they’ve got better every week.”
The 50-year-old Englishman was one of the greatest ever rugby league players, key to Wigan dominating the code, but even they had bad runs and he knows how the Welsh players will be feeling.
“Do you know what? You worry about it for a time, why is this happening to me?” he said.
“Playing the victim and all that.
“Then, you get to a point where you say ‘sod it’ and you’ve nothing to lose.
“Those lads want to right a few wrongs and be part of the squad that turns Welsh rugby around. That makes them dangerous.”
However, even if they manage to secure a win – whether against Ireland or in the final game against a much-improved Italy – Popham worries about the long-term future.
Beyond his view that the Welsh Rugby Union is “not in a good place”, Popham is concerned that the talent pool of young players is drying up.
“We had a great decade of players,” said the 46-year-old.
“We had a run of Grand Slams and championships, and we had loads of players on Lions tours.
“Those guys had to retire and the number of players coming through are not in sufficient numbers.
“My understanding is the regions have stopped investing in academies and nurturing players from 14 to 15.
“So that creates a big gap and as a result the senior ranks are and will continue to pay the consequences.”
Players to watch:
For Ireland: Flyhalf Jack Crowley appears to have wrested the 10 jersey from young Sam Prendergast, key as he was in their last two victories. Hooker Dan Sheehan continues to be a try-scoring machine, while James Lowe has returned to the wing jersey a new man. Wing Robert Baloucoune has been something of a revelation on the Test stage this Championship, so watch out for him on Friday.
For Wales: Aaron Wainwright to bring the heat in both defence and attack. The Newport man is second overall in the Championship for dominant contact and carries. Lock Dafydd Jenkins has been a tireless presence in the engine room, while scrumhalf Tomos Williams has grown in influence over the course of this campaign.
Prediction
Rugby365: Ireland by 15 points.
Teams:
Ireland: 15 Jamie Osborne, 14 Robert Baloucoune, 13 Garry Ringrose, 12 Stuart McCloskey, 11 Jacob Stockdale, 10 Jack Crowley, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Caelan Doris, 7 Nick Timoney, 6 Jack Conan, 5 Tadhg Beirne, 4 James Ryan, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Rónan Kelleher, 1 Tom O’Toole
Replacements: 16 Tom Stewart, 17 Michael Milne, 18 Thomas Clarkson, 19 Joe McCarthy, 20 Josh van der Flier, 21 Nathan Doak, 22 Tom Farrell, 23 Ciaran Frawley.
Wales: 15 Louis Rees-Zammit, 14 Ellis Mee, 13 Eddie James, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Josh Adams, 10 Dan Edwards, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Aaron Wainwright, 7 James Botham, 6 Alex Mann, 5 Ben Carter, 4 Dafydd Jenkins, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Dewi Lake (captain), 1 Rhys Carre.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Nicky Smith, 18 Archie Griffin, 19 Adam Beard, 20 Olly Cracknell, 21 Kieran Hardy, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Louie Hennessey.
Date: Friday, March 6
Venue: Aviva Stadium, Dublin
Kick-off: 20.10 (20.10 GMT)
Expected weather: Cloudy and cold with a high of 9°C and a low of 0°C
Referee: Karl Dickson (England)
Assistant referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia), Damian Schneider (Argentina)
TMO: Andrew Jackson (England)
Source: AFP & Six Nations
