Wales 18 – 27 Ireland (HT: 13 – 10)
Ireland’s chase for another Six Nations title remains on track despite a limp 27-18 victory over a much improved Wales. Tries from Jack Conan and Jamie Osborne and 17 points from the boot of Sam Prendergast was enough for Ireland to get over the line, despite producing one of their worst performances in quite some time.
Matchday at the Principality Stadium might be less hopeful than before, but you can never fault the showpiece. With the roof closed, the mix of colour in the stands and a jazzed-up version of the anthems, nothing beats Cardiff on a Six Nations Saturday.
The performance of their players today will add to the support in the weeks to come, as Matt Sherratt found a note in his players in ways predecessor Warren Gatland could not.
In an unfamiliar white shirt, Ireland got off to a trademark fast start. Jack Conan’s superb jackal turnover on midfield set the platform, which would eventually lead to a lineout five metres from the Welsh line. After a number of lateral phases up stepped Joe McCarthy and in-form Jack Conan for an opening score. The Leinster number 8 finished the move with an NFL-like touchdown, despite the attempted tackle of Tomos Williams, giving Ireland a 7 point lead after seven minutes.
Despite Ireland’s sharp attack, the set-piece started off in disastrous fashion. Nicky Smith and WillGriff John combined to win three scrum penalties from the first three feeds, with Andrew Porter and Thomas Clarkson struggling. Welsh coach and legendary player Adam Jones was sure to be impressed. This surely played into the Irish mindset who started to get skittish when the first option got cut off.
However, in what felt like suspicious timing, powerful loosehead Nicky Smith was removed for a HIA, and one scrum later Ireland won a penalty from it. The three point swing perfectly surmised the Welsh heartache of recent times.
To their credit, Wales responded positively, pouncing on Irish inaccuracies from the restart. Debutant Ellis Mee disrupted the Irish content and when Tom Rogers was impeded by Joe McCarthy on the floor, returning veteran Gareth Anscombe kicked the first points of the Matt Sherratt era.
If not for one missed pass, Wales could have struck life into proceedings. Tom Rogers got his hands free to offload out of the tackle to captain Jac Morgan, who had Tomos Williams in support. However the Glocuester scrum-half failed to gather the trail pass and capitalise on a creaky moment for the Irish defence.
There is no doubt that the second quarter belonged to the visitors. Unlike the bygone days of Gatland and Howley, there was an impetus in the Welsh attack, directed by Gareth Anscombe at fly-half. The difference in efficiency and potency between the sides was alarming from an Irish standpoint. When Ireland got possession they looked like scoring, and if not for a frustrating incomplete pass from Jamie Osborne to Garry Ringrose, with the tryline beckoning, the contest could have ended as the clock struck thirty. However it was Wales who made good on their chances to pull the deficit back to one score.
All the while Garry Ringrose was sent to the bin late in the first forty for a high tackle on Ben Thomas. The TMO Bunker Review deemed there not to be enough mitigation to save the Blackrock centre from his marching orders, in what was a snapshot of the pressure the 23 point favourites were under. When Sam Prendergast elected to go for and subsequently missed a long range penalty effort, you knew for certain Ireland had their cage rattled.
The first half, for what it lacked in substance, ended on a perfect pitch. With the home faithful back to full voice, Wales sought a go-ahead score of tournament-shaking magnitude. As is often the case in big games, it was a case of cometh the man, cometh the hour. The man on this occasion was mastro Jac Morgan. The Ospreys man sent the Welsh fans to a feeling of euphoria that has been long absent, and Wales took a 13-10 lead into the interval.
Ireland headed into the sheds stunned, and it got worse when Ringrose was dismissed during the break. Regardless of your feelings on red cards in rugby, to see the introduction of the 20-minute red card, a program brought in to save the “spectacle of the game” is a stain on a sport which is already fighting a losing battle on the topic of safety.
The second half started like the first one finished, with Wales looking like their 2019 selves, and Ireland also. Tom Rogers’ acrobatic finish, his first test try, pulled the home side further clear. It was a mistake from Sam Prendergast, getting turned over in possession that gave Wales front foot ball, and in a victim of circumstance situation, the Leinster ten was caught in no man’s land minutes later, as Blair Murray guided past him to set up Rogers for the score. For the first time in four years, Ireland trailed Wales by more than one score.
Sam Prendergast knocked over a routine penalty to reduce the margin to five a few minutes later, as Ireland started to respond. Robbie Henshaw came up with a crucial turnover seconds before talisman Bundee Aki was introduced as Ireland started to look like their world ranking again.
There was a sense of inevitability about Ireland’s second try, nearly an hour after their first. Sam Prendergast’s 50/22 gave Ireland the territory, and with a free play, Jamison Gibson-Park tried an ambitious crosskick. James Lowe won the aerial duo by the tips of his fingers, with Naas man Jamie Osborne the beneficiary to pounce and score in the corner; tying the game at eighteen points apiece.
As the game reached the final quarter, you could tell Wales were starting to tire, but Ireland still looked hasty. Joe McCarthy and Ryan Baird both coughing up unnecessary penalties inside the Welsh half. If Ireland were to turn this result on its head, they were going to need to find a level of composure they had lacked for the first hour in Cardiff.
Whenever Ireland looked to their bench, the tempo would rise. James Ryan’s introduction would have led to a try if not for a sensational try-saver from Blair Murray on Mack Hansen. Ireland had an advantage though and elected to go for the points. Sam Prendergast added over the three as the visitors reclaimed the lead. In the midst of a grand slam chase, every point matters.
Not long after Gareth Thomas narrowly avoided a card for a high looking tackle on Andrew Porter, Bundee Aki latched over the top of Aaron Wainwright to win a crucial turnover. Once again Prendergast for the posts, this time from midfield, but this time he was successful from distance to move Ireland six clear.
Unfortunately for the Leinster kid, he followed up with a sliced kick into touch, handing Wales an opportunity to strike back. The question now was could Wales capitalise, and they almost did. Debutant Ellis Mee was deemed to have grounded the ball short of the line, after slipping past the reaches of Mack Hansen. It was tight, and it was arguably harsh, but it was yet another lifeline for Ireland.
Like many Cardiff classics, you felt there would be more twists in the tale. Could Ireland find a gut punching clincher, or would Wales steal it? As he so often has, it was Munster captain Tadhg Beirne who came up with a crucial late turnover, which Prendergast kicked for three, to seal a nervy late win.
The win moves Ireland one step closer to an illustrious grand slam and historic third championship in succession, while sealing a triple crown in due course. For Wales, they remain rooted to the bottom of the table, extending their losing run to fifteen points. They were the moral victors on the day, but ultimately an off colour Ireland just about did enough, but will need to improve tenfold before taking on France in a fortnight’s time back in Dublin.
IRELAND: Jamie Osborne; Mack Hansen (Jack Crowley, 72’), Garry Ringrose (Bundee Aki, 53’ {20 min red}, Robbie Henshaw, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park (Conor Murray, 78’); Andrew Porter (Jack Boyle, 70’), Dan Sheehan (Gus McCarthy, 74’), Tom Clarkson (Finlay Bealham, 48’); Joe McCarthy (James Ryan, 40-50’ {HIA} & 64’), Tadhg Beirne; Peter O’Mahony, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (Ryan Baird, 43’).
Tries: Jack Conan, Jamie Osborne
Conversions: Sam Prendergast 1/2
Penalties: Sam Prendergast 5/7
Red Card: Garry Ringrose (33’ – 52’)
WALES: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers (Joe Roberts, 63’), Max Llewellyn, Ben Thomas, Ellis Mee*; Gareth Anscombe (Jarrod Evans, 51’ {HIA}), Tomos Williams; Nicky Smith (Gareth Thomas, 17-29’ {HIA} & 61’), Elliot Dee (Evan Lloyd, 74’), WillGriff John (Henry Thomas, 51’); Will Rowlands (Teddy Williams, 71’), Dafydd Jenkins; Jac Morgan, Tommy Reffell (Aaron Wainwright, 55’), Taulupe Faletau.
Replacements not used: Rhodri Williams.
Tries: Jac Morgan, Tom Rogers
Conversions: Gareth Anscombe 1/2
Penalties: Gareth Anscombe 1/1
Referee: Christophe Ridley (RFU)