Wales beat Ireland 23-16: Six Nations – as it happened
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http://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2015/mar/14/wales-v-ireland-six-nations-live Version 0 of 1. 4.26pm GMT16:26 Well well well. There will be no Grand Slam and no record 11th win for Ireland. They will be aggrieved at the decision to award Wales a scrum at the end, but they can only blame themselves for failing to take advantage of their possessional and territorial dominance. Still, we got the best game of the tournament there; Paul O’Connell, Alun Wyn Jones and Sam Warburton gave us a masterclass in forward play. From an England perspective, this is a great result. And, if we’re honest, it’s a great result for the Six Nations. If England beat Scotland this evening, it’s a three-way shoot-out for the title next Saturday. Speaking of that match, I’m off to that MBM now, so will wrap this up. Cheers for reading. Bye! Updated at 4.45pm GMT 4.23pm GMT16:23 Full-time: Wales 23-16 Ireland Here we go then, the final play of the match. 14 seconds on the clock when the scrum starts. It’s a mess, the scrum disintegrates and Wales get the penalty! It’s kicked to touch and Wales have done it! 4.21pm GMT16:21 80 min O’Connell takes it and here comes the driving maul. It gets to within a metre and the ball gets stuck in the maul: scrum Wales! There are 41 seconds left and Paul O’Connell is not happy. 4.21pm GMT16:21 79 min Madigan kicks to touch but is told to wait and it’s a good job as he booted that one touch-in-goal. Now the clock is back on, but Hibbard’s off for a head injury. Madigan finds touch on the 5m line, on the left. Cronin throws, but Charteris steals it! Mike Phillips clears to touch in the exact same place though. 4.19pm GMT16:19 78 min This is the game, right here. O’Connell is felled by a great low tackle from Hibbard. Left it goes and it’s knocked on, but the referee is playing advantage. And he yellow cards Jonathan Davies! 4.18pm GMT16:18 77 min Wales scrum then on their own 22. Phillips is called for feeding though and Ireland get a free-kick! Quickly they go and O’Brien drives it on. Bowe looks to cut through a gap off his wing on the left, but it’s closed off. 4.16pm GMT16:16 77 min Knocked on by Reddan! 4.15pm GMT16:15 76 min Sexton off, Madigan on for Ireland. That must be a fitness issue? Biggar kicks long to Kearney and he carries up over halfway. Ireland go through the phases and Henshaw takes it up to the 22. 4.14pm GMT16:14 Penalty (Halfpenny 75) Wales 23-16 Ireland From 38m, straight in front. You can probably hear the cheer from wherever you are. 4.13pm GMT16:13 74 min Brilliant wide pass from Sexton but it’s the hooker Cronin who gets it. Still, Ireland on the front foot here. Up to their own 10m line, but then Healy holds on and it’s a penalty to Wales! Oh that is outstanding work over the ball from Warburton after making the tackle. 4.12pm GMT16:12 73 min Good scrum for Wales and Phillips slides a grubber through for Liam Williams to chase. The winger can’t get there and it’s an Ireland lineout on their own 22. Cronin finds O’Mahoney and Ireland will run it from here. 4.11pm GMT16:11 72 min Ireland go right, but then Sexton knocks on trying to take it on the loop. Momentum is with Ireland but this is far too close to call. Rarely can Ireland, Wales and England fans all have been so nervous. Heaslip off, Murphy on at eight; Alun Wyn Jones off, Jake Ball on. Jones has been magnificent. 4.09pm GMT16:09 71 min Halfpenny returns, Biggar tackles Bowe well but the winger offloads to O’Connell. Ireland bring it up to halfway where Scott Williams tackles Zebo. 4.08pm GMT16:08 70 min Jamie Roberts looks distraught on the bench. Biggar restarts long and Bowe brings it out of the 22. Reddan clears long. 4.07pm GMT16:07 69 min Penalty try Ireland! Wales 20-16 Ireland Sexton spurns the easy points and kicks to touch on the left, 6m out. Tipuric and Phillips on for Lydiate and Webb. Ireland win the ball and maul it towards the line. O’Brien with it as they all pile in. Down comes the maul and Wayne Barnes goes straight under the posts! Sexton converts. 4.06pm GMT16:06 68 min Ireland win it and go inside to Henshaw on the crash ball. Reddan snipes, Cronin and O’Brien take it on and they’re up to within 25m now. Relentless pressure now and they get a penalty as Lydiate fails to roll away. 4.05pm GMT16:05 67 min Shocking that, from Ireland’s forwards, ignoring a clear overlap on the right and wasting a chance. It’s still not over as Wales have a scrum just 5m from their own posts. They’re going backwards but Faletau comes out with it. Back it comes to Jonathan Davies and the 13 fires a brilliant clearance, left-footed into touch on the Welsh 10m line. 4.03pm GMT16:03 66 min Iain Henderson is on for Ireland too. Penalty Ireland and they go quick, up to the line under the posts now. They have numbers right, but it’s popped up to Healy and he drops it over the line! 4.02pm GMT16:02 65 min Now Wales have to survive again as Ireland crash it up and make ground. Into the 22, up to within 4m. This is breathless. 4.01pm GMT16:01 64 min That was breathless. Wales survived a mighty onslaught from Ireland, then launched a thrilling counter. Ireland get it from the restart as Reddan and Cronin replace Murray and Best. Bowe wriggles into the 22. Updated at 4.13pm GMT 4.00pm GMT16:00 63 min 15m in from the left, on the 22, Halfpenny hooks it left! 3.59pm GMT15:59 Try! Wales 20-9 Ireland (Scott Williams 62) Now Wales pick and go to within 5m, under the posts. Left, into the hands of Biggar, who fixes Heaslip, then on to Scott Williams who comes from deep, cuts a marvellous line inside of Bowe and goes over! 3.58pm GMT15:58 61 min That was a wonderful break from Davies after turning Zebo inside out. Charteris steals the Irish lineout 5m out now! Inside and AW Jones hands off Heaslip. It’s out wide on the right now and Warburton clatters into Best. Back left and Scott Williams straightens and makes ground. Wales about 15m out now. 3.56pm GMT15:56 60 min Right it goes and North gets to within 5m. Back inside and Liam Williams uses his dancing feet to get up to the line. Left now to Biggar, who loops a pass out to Halfpenny on the touchline, but it’s too high and the full-back can’t catch it. Scott Williams on for Roberts. 3.55pm GMT15:55 59 min Sexton is down now. Told you you’ve got to feel it in your bones. Healy on halfway is turned by Jones and left it goes. Davies surges up into the 22. Wales have numbers right! 3.53pm GMT15:53 58 min Biggar finds touch on the Wales 10m line on the right and Hibbard replaces Baldwin. What a wonderfully pulsating passage of play that was. Lydiate wins the throw and mauls up to halfway. Webb puts it up for Biggar, but O’Connell gathers the bouncing ball. Ireland drive back up to halfway. 3.52pm GMT15:52 57 min Payne comes through on the crash ball and charges into Warburton. Sexton goes off his feet and it’s a penalty to Wales! You’d think they’d won the World Cup from that cheer. McGrath is off for Ireland, Healy on for his 50th cap. 3.51pm GMT15:51 56 min Payne cuts back inside. It goes left after he’s brought down and North wraps up Zebo brilliantly. Back it comes on the Irish side though. 10m out now. 3.49pm GMT15:49 55 min That wasn’t a great kick from Kearney. Still, Toner wins the lineout and Ireland set up the driving maul. Bowe comes off his wing and cuts through, but gets taken down a metre short. Murray goes himself but is short, then O’Brien is driven back by Davies. The noise levels are absurd in Cardiff now. 3.48pm GMT15:48 54 min It goes right to Zebo who juggles, but holds on. Phase 34 and Wales go off their feet. Kearney uses his left foot and kicks it to touch 8m out on the Ireland right. 3.47pm GMT15:47 53 min 24, 25, 26, 27... no quarter given yet. It goes right to Zebo and Wales have pushed them back to the 22. 3.46pm GMT15:46 52 min Patient stuff and Best is driven backwards by Warburton. Ireland go left now, 10m from the line. O’Connell sets up the driving maul right under the sticks. We go into phase 21, 22, 23... 3.45pm GMT15:45 51 min The 100-cap man O’Connell trundles through a gap. O’Brien takes it on and Ireland are now within 5m. Right they go and Henshaw crashes it up the middle. 3.44pm GMT15:44 50 min O’Mahoney wins it and Ireland go left. Murray looks to snipe around the breakdown and though he’s tackled, Ireland are on the front foot. The ball goes right and Sexton takes it on the bounce. For a moment there looks to be a chance but it’s shut down. 3.43pm GMT15:43 49 min Webb goes high, but too shallow and Bowe knocks on, but Charteris is within 10m of the kicker and is therefore penalised for offside. Sexton kicks to touch on the right, 15m inside the Welsh half. 3.42pm GMT15:42 48 min Roberts is OK to continue. Lydiate wins the lineout and Wales again go quickly off the top and right across the field. They’re showing a bit more ambition this half, the home side. They’re not getting quick ball at the breakdown right now though. “Hi Dan, going to throw The Chemical Brothers Exit Planet Dust & Black Grape It’s Great When You’re Straight into the album debate,” writes John McEnerney. 3.41pm GMT15:41 47 min 12m inside their own half Ireland win it and go left to Kearney, who is tackled just short of his own 10m line. They go quickly right now and Sexton finds Best on the right-hand touchline, but he’s tackled into touch by Roberts. The Welsh centre is down and holding his head. 3.40pm GMT15:40 46 min Faletau picks it and Wales quickly go left, but Davies’s pass is in front of the wide man Halfpenny and bounces into touch. 3.38pm GMT15:38 45 min Roberts looks to be struggling with a stinger now. Wales are taking a mighty bruising today. Apparently Samson Lee’s injury is to his ankle, Jenkins’ to his hamstring. Wales win the lineout on their own 10m line and Webb sends it high for North, but Zebo claims just outside his 22. Warburton is up to make the tackle and Zebo knocks it on. 3.37pm GMT15:37 44 min Quick, solid scrum for Ireland and Henshaw carries it up to the 10m line. Sexton dinks one over the top on his left foot, but puts it out on the full. Updated at 3.46pm GMT 3.36pm GMT15:36 43 min Sexton dinks over the top and Roberts is tackled well by Kearney on halfway. Wales recycle it and put width on the ball, but Biggar’s long pass right to North is fractionally forward. That was a chance for the Welsh. 3.34pm GMT15:34 42 min Faletau rises to win the lineout and Wales maul it into the Irish half. Biggar send it high and the ball goes loose, Bowe first to take it inside his own half and they move it inside. 3.34pm GMT15:34 41 min North takes the restart inside his 22. Back it comes to Biggar who clears and it’s another penalty, against Murray for offside looking to charge down the kick. Biggar clears to touch on halfway, on the right. 3.33pm GMT15:33 Back out come the players. Ireland are dominating the scrum, Wales the lineout and the breakdown is an utter mess. Too close to call. Rob Evans is on for his debut in place of Gethin Jenkins, which is a huge blow to Wales. 3.30pm GMT15:30 Does this count as ominous? The last time Wales led Ireland by 6 points at HT, Ireland went on to win the match by 2 points on the way to their 2009 Grand Slam #WALvIRE 3.21pm GMT15:21 Half-time: Wales 15-9 Ireland Free-kick to Wales at the scrum and Biggar boots it out to end the half. @DanLucas86 This seems pretty crapola in French. Any better in English? It’s close enough to be exciting. Wayne Barnes has been very hot on the discipline front – seven penalties apiece in that half – and there’s absolutely no flow to the game and very little in the way of try-scoring opportunities. Updated at 3.25pm GMT 3.19pm GMT15:19 40 min This time Toner wins it on the Welsh 10m line. Inside it goes and Halfpenny looks to pop it inside to Kearney on the break, but AW Jones makes a great tackle on the full-back. Ah it was a forward pass anyway. 3.17pm GMT15:17 39 min Sexton kicks to touch on the right as Warburton returns. 3-3 for the sin-bin period and Wales will take that, you’d think. 3.17pm GMT15:17 38 min Wales are just running down the clock on Warburton’s sin-bin now, going short as they did in the build-up to Biggar’s drop goal. Webb goes off his feet though and concedes a penalty. 3.15pm GMT15:15 37 min Biggar restarts and Liam Williams makes a great tackle on Bowe. Murray clears and then Halfpenny is so close to sliding through the double tackle. 3.14pm GMT15:14 Penalty (Sexton 37) Wales 15-9 Ireland Back to within six. 3.13pm GMT15:13 36 min Until now when Murray’s brilliant pass puts O’Connell through a gap. Payne takes it deep into the Welsh 22 and the home side are panicking. Penalty for a high-tackle on O’Connell. 15m out right in front. 3.12pm GMT15:12 35 min Ireland restart quickly and win possession back. Wales’ defence is outstanding though and not ceding the gainline. 3.11pm GMT15:11 Drop-goal (Biggar 34) Wales 15-6 Ireland Picking and going, Wales look to be setting Biggar for the drop-goal. He’s a bit far out at the moment. It’s slow, slow stuff... eventually back it goes and Biggar nails the perfect drop-goal from 40m! 3.10pm GMT15:10 33 min Halfpenny kicks to touch just over the Irish 10m line on the left. AW Jones wins it and the seven-man pack goes for the maul. A good maul it is too, edging up towards the 22. 3.09pm GMT15:09 32 min Wales put in to their seven-man scrum then. And they get a penalty for wheeling the scrum. @DanLucas86 Watch who you're calling vindictive, Lucas. Its Patrick's day this week. We'll brook no insult to BOD almighty 3.07pm GMT15:07 31 min Halfpenny knocks on from Murray’s high kick. Ireland have advantage but fumble the ball in midfield after it’s over. Right they go, but again it’s lateral from the men in green, then Henshaw, I think, knocks on taking a pop-pass from Murray. 3.05pm GMT15:05 Penalty (Sexton 30) Wales 12-6 Ireland Payne could be in trouble after the match for sliding with his knee into Webb’s back, similar to BOD’s nasty foul on Henson a few years ago although perhaps with less vindictiveness. Sexton notches the kick from 40m. 3.04pm GMT15:04 28 min Webb is back up and running. Ireland are going left and right and left and right, but then Warburton lays all over the ball on the floor and, to boos, is sent to the sin bin. Not sure why Ireland weren’t even threatened with a yellow for their persistent offending earlier on. 3.03pm GMT15:03 27 min Biggar slices his attempted up-and-under but Zebo knocks it on. Advantage over quickly enough, but Biggar this time kicks to Bowe. 3.02pm GMT15:02 26 min Charteris steals it with ease at the front, Webb puts it up and Liam Williams collects it! The ball goes loose in midfield though and we have an exchange of kicks. Sexton goes cute, sending one shallow over the top and Webb sweeps up very well. Looks like he’s taken a knee in the back there. 3.00pm GMT15:00 25 min Penalty to Ireland at the scrum and they’re looking very comfortable in that area. Sexton kicks the penalty up over halfway and indeed over the 10m line to touch. 3.00pm GMT15:00 24 min Knocked on at the lineout by Wales though. “Leftfield – Leftism,” suggests Chris Collinson. “Cut for life. Simply the finest drums ever laid down on vinyl in my lifetime from Paul Daley and Neil Barnes. We are not worthy etc.” 2.59pm GMT14:59 23 min If Wales have figured out the Irish calls, which is how it looked there when they lifted Warburton in front of Toner, that’s a huge blow to Ireland. The away side collapse the maul from the lineout and Halfpenny finds touch again on the 22. 2.58pm GMT14:58 22 min Sexton goes for touch, sticking it in the right-hand corner. Best, the man with the most successful throws so far in the tournament, sees his throw stolen by Warburton! Toner takes him out in the air and Halfpenny clears to touch down the left with the penalty. 2.56pm GMT14:56 21 min A good step by Payne takes Ireland well into the 22 and Wayne Barnes signals another advantage. It’s a good job too, as North is inches away from snatching an interception when Sexton sends out the long looping pass. 2.55pm GMT14:55 20 min Great solid scrum from Ireland and left they go, Henshaw barrelling up to the 10m line. They go through the phases and drive forward with another penalty coming for offside. It’s a very long advantage this. 2.54pm GMT14:54 19 min AW Jones knocks on at kick-off. Ireland play advantage and McGrath (!) chips over the top but straight to Leigh Williams. Wales maul up to the Irish 10m line, but Heaslip turns Jones over and gets the scrum. 2.53pm GMT14:53 Penalty (Sexton 18) Wales 12-3 Ireland Sexton from 4m inside the Welsh half, 15m in from the right, lands an excellent, nerve-settling kick. 2.52pm GMT14:52 16 min It’s a way out, on the angle and Sexton misses, hooking it left. Biggar restarts long to Bowe, who is taken high by Baldwin. Another penalty but no more, rightly so. 2.50pm GMT14:50 15 min Wales take it, in the form of Jones, inside the 22. Webb sends it high, Kearney takes on the 10m line and is tackled by Baldwin. North doesn’t roll away and Ireland have their first penalty of the match. Wide on the left, 40m out and Sexton will kick for goal. 2.49pm GMT14:49 Penalty (Halfpenny 14) Wales 12-0 Ireland 38m out, just to the left. Ireland have a problem. Make that 4 penalties. Before this game Ireland had only conceded 1 penalty inside the opening 10 minutes in the whole #rbs6nations #WALvIRE Updated at 3.02pm GMT 2.48pm GMT14:48 This is a really big loss for Wales. This looks like a very serious injury for Lee, who is crucial to the Welsh scrum in light of Adam Jones’ retirement. Updated at 3.13pm GMT 2.46pm GMT14:46 Aaron Jarvis comes on for Samson Lee. 2.44pm GMT14:44 13 min Unconvincingly Wales win the scrum, but then Roberts reclaims Biggar’s high ball 30m out. Right they go and Barnes is wrapped up, but O’Connell has been penalised for obstruction and it’s another penalty. Samson Lee is in a lot of pain though after the scrum and the stretcher is being called for. 2.42pm GMT14:42 12 min Sexton puts his restart out on the full. There’s a long way to go, but Ireland have been shaken up here. First scrum of the match, to Wales on halfway. 2.41pm GMT14:41 Penalty (Halfpenny 11) Wales 9-0 Ireland Dead on halfway, dead centre, Leigh Halfpenny is going for goal. Can he extend the lead beyond a score? Obviously, yes. Updated at 2.55pm GMT 2.40pm GMT14:40 10 min “Good linespeed Faletau” enthuses Jonathan Davies as the no 8 hares forward, ignoring the fact he completely missed the tackle. Gethin Jenkins doesn’t miss his tackle though and great work sealing the ball off ensures Wales get the penalty and the turnover. 2.39pm GMT14:39 9 min Possession for Ireland for the first time and they carry it up to the Welsh 10m line. They keep it in the hands but Bowe drops it backwards; Ireland retain possession but they’ve gone back 10m. 2.38pm GMT14:38 8 min North takes the restart and clears to Kearney. Sexton kicks towards touch on the right and Halfpenny takes a brilliant diving catch and calls the mark. Outstanding from the Welshman. “Although, I happened to listen to Different Class last week for the first time in years. I’d forgotten what an astonishingly good album it is beyond Common People an Disco 2000,” adds Matt Dony, not wrongly. 2.37pm GMT14:37 Penalty (Halfpenny 7) Wales 6-0 Ireland Just inside the 22, about 10m to the right of the posts, Halfpenny slots it. 2.36pm GMT14:36 7 min O’Mahoney concedes the penalty for not rolling away and Halfpenny has another shot at goal. There was a try on earlier though if not for Sexton’s great tackle on his opposite number. 2.36pm GMT14:36 6 min Roberts goes on the crash ball and crashes over the gainline. Sexton then wraps up Biggar with an outstanding tackle but Wales are still in possession. They’re going through the phases inside the 22 and have an advantage. 2.35pm GMT14:35 5 min Left it goes for Wales, then right but Roberts goes into contact when he should keep it moving. Left again and Davies surges through thanks to a brilliant hand-off. Wales are 10m out now but it’s slow ball. 2.34pm GMT14:34 4 min Webb kicks clear over halfway and Kearney takes. He gives it to Sexton who sends up the first garryowen of the day and Biggar takes well outside his 22. Roberts and Kearney then exchange massive kicks, the latter finding touch but Wales take it quickly. Halfpenny chips and brilliantly collects his own kick on the full. 2.33pm GMT14:33 3 min Bread of Heaven rings out as North takes the kick-off inside his 22. 2.32pm GMT14:32 Penalty (Halfpenny 3) Wales 3-0 Ireland We go back for the penalty, 35m out and pretty much dead in front. Halfpenny, in need of a haircut, rarely misses anything and doesn’t miss this. 2.31pm GMT14:31 1 min Wales secure the ball from their own kick-off and AW Jones makes good ground on the right. Up to the 22 and left it goes, through the hands. Wales have advantage for Ireland not rolling away at the ruck and this should be 3-0. 2.30pm GMT14:30 Peep! Hollywood’s Wayne Barnes blows his whistle and Dan Biggar gets us underway. “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness,” writes Matt Dony. “That is all. Billy Corgan has turned himself into a weird, angry cartoon version of himself, and gives cringeworthy interviews. But I could never not love him after his 90’s output. On topic, come on Wales! This is still on. Warrenball for the win! I’m excited!” 2.25pm GMT14:25 Anthems time. Let’s take this moment to look at some stats: Attacking kicking has been vital for Ireland in this #rbs6nations but Wales are well placed to take them on. #WALvIRE pic.twitter.com/fVt3MpBmLx 2.21pm GMT14:21 Saracens beat Northampton 24-20. Don’t care about that cup again. 2.21pm GMT14:21 The warm-up has seen the Welsh half-backs putting up huge high kicks for the back three. Not sure that’s a brilliant idea when the Irish full-back is Rob Kearney, one of the best under the high ball in the world. Wales will want to turn this into a battle of the goal-kickers I reckon, because they’re just about the only side in the world with a better marksman than Sexton. Kevin Quinn explains why Chicago (and Adelaide) are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day today: “Simple answer to that one Dan: the Drink.” 2.17pm GMT14:17 “Adelaide is celebrating Paddy’s day too,” writes Michael Keane, who should be preparing for Burnley’s match with Man City tonight, I would have thought, “which, combined with the last weekend of the Fringe festival and the big showdown against Pakistan tomorrow that most of us (Irish people) are here for, is making for a hell of a party. Hope they all shut up at kick off though.” 2.14pm GMT14:14 More emails. You lot are pleasingly chatty today. Martin Gilbert writes: “In recognition of the Irish part of today’s match, the best album of 1995 (alongside The Bends) was Whipping Boy’s “Heartworm”. Possibly the best Irish album ever, let alone of 1995. And on the rugby, have an I’d feeling that Ireland will won today but draw with Scotland next time out.” Come on now, the best Irish album of all time is Achtung Baby by a distance. Slate Bono all you like, slate the U2 of the last 15 years all you like, but Achtung Baby is perfect. 2.09pm GMT14:09 Just to note, the roof is open today, which is probably a good thing for Ireland. “1995 was all about Tricky’s Maxinquaye for me,” writes Ric Latham, “it still sounds like it’s landed from another planet.” Also on Chicago St. Patrick’s Day, here’s Kevin Quinn: “Hi Dan, Yes I can confirm that St Patricks day is a thing. Also, massive Irish emigration and the American need for heritage means st paddies is massive in Chicago, New York, Boston.” That doesn’t explain why Chicago St. Patrick’s Day is a thing. Is there something wrong with the one that’s happening in three days’ time? 2.07pm GMT14:07 “Hi Dan,” writes Kennedy Bridport. “Thinking of decent albums in 1995, there was Half Man Half Biscuit’s “Some Call It Godcore,” which may not be one of their best but does contain the magisterial ‘Even Men with Steel Hearts (love to see a dog on the pitch)’.” There are plenty of fantastic albums from that year, yep. Wilco’s AM, Pavement’s Wowee Zowee, Yo La Tengo’s Electr-O-Pura and Boards of Canada’s Twoism. 2.04pm GMT14:04 In other rugby news, today sees the first semi-final of the joke that is the LV= Cup. I wouldn’t mention it, except it’s a bit of a thriller between Saracens and Northampton. Saracens came back from 13-5 down to lead 21-13, but a converted try for Saints means there’s a point in it with 13 minutes to go. 2.00pm GMT14:00 Predictions, anyone? I’m going for Ireland by eight points. Others slightly disagree... @DanLucas86 3 point win for Ireland, we're too disciplined, clinical & we've got POC, congrats on 100 caps big man! Massive hits green win! Also, Rory Cassidy writes: “Hi Dan I’m Rory I’m 13 and from Ireland. Not surprisingly I’m feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness ahead of this game. Really hoping for a big display today from our boys. Paulie has been such an influential player for Ireland over the years and he fully deserves his big day! Come On You Boys In Green!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Crikey that’s a lot of exclamation marks. I’m cheering on Wales, but feel bad for how heartbroken Rory might be if Ireland lose this now. 1.52pm GMT13:52 Elsewhere on the internet, in light of the The Bends’ 20th anniversary, I’m following a discussion about the best albums of 1995. The Bends is in a different class to everything apart from, ironically, Different Class. 1.47pm GMT13:47 My Wales-supporting, Chicago-based friend has just posted pictures on Facebook from Chicago St. Patrick’s Day. Apparently this is a thing. If you’re Chicago-based and following this do let me know why it exists. 1.44pm GMT13:44 If the picture wires are anything to go by then the streets of Cardiff are very Ireland-friendly today. I am sad to report a prevalence of half-and-half scarves though. 1.38pm GMT13:38 Am I being unkind to Ireland? I mean, impressive as they are, they have been quite boring to watch. Just been speaking to Joe Schmidt: "A lot has been made of our kicking game... We've made 100 more passes than Wales." @bbc5live 1335 1.30pm GMT13:30 Preamble Afternoon folks. You don’t need me to tell you what’s at stake here. No, technically not the Six Nations title, but with Ireland facing Scotland, who have disappointed thus far, in the final round of fixtures next weekend they can all-but seal the title/Grand Slam with a win in Cardiff today. A win in Cardiff. Hmm. It’s not like Ireland haven’t done it before. Hell, it’s not like Wales haven’t been beaten there in this year’s competition: an injury-ravaged England side that you’re not convinced is entirely settled claimed a mighty fine win there on opening night. But then again, most of us wrote Wales off after that match – an unnamed colleague even said to me “So Wales out in the first round of the World Cup (for the record, I do still think that’s going to happen) – and look where they are now. A couple of hard-fought wins over Scotland and France and they’re very much in the title mix themselves. If Wales do pull this one off then not only are they in the running for the championship – Italy to finish for them – but it will be yet another vindication for Warren Gatland. Somehow, 14 years after the fact, animosity between him and Ireland remains, so you could argue that the men in green are a bigger fillip for him than even the English. After all, Ireland have had far more success against Gatland’s Wales than the traditional rival. Expect no alarms and no surprises from either side. They say you’ve got to feel it in your bones and both sets of players are likely to feel theirs jarring today: Warrenball v Ireland’s reliance on their granite pack. We know how both teams are going to play it and it’s likely that whoever wins the battle of the breakdown will triumph. Ireland, with the mighty Peter O’Mahoney and the returning Jamie Heaslip – just four weeks after cracking three vertebrae! – suggest that they have the tiniest of edges in that department. It’s also Paul O’Connell’s 100th cap and we know how he likes the big occasion. Kick-off is at 2.30pm. Here are your teams: Wales 15-Leigh Halfpenny, 14-George North, 13-Jonathan Davies, 12-Jamie Roberts, 11-Liam Williams, 10-Dan Biggar, 9-Rhys Webb; 1-Gethin Jenkins, 2-Scott Baldwin, 3-Samson Lee, 4-Luke Charteris, 5-Alun Wyn Jones, 6-Dan Lydiate, 7-Sam Warburton (captain), 8-Toby Faletau. Replacements: 16-Richard Hibbard, 17-Rob Evans, 18-Aaron Jarvis, 19-Jake Ball, 20-Justin Tipuric, 21-Mike Phillips, 22-Rhys Priestland, 23-Scott Williams. Ireland 15-Rob Kearney, 14-Tommy Bowe, 13-Jared Payne, 12-Robbie Henshaw, 11-Simon Zebo, 10-Johnny Sexton, 9-Conor Murray; 1-Jack McGrath, 2-Rory Best, 3-Mike Ross, 4-Devin Toner, 5-Paul O’Connell, 6-Peter O’Mahony, 7-Sean O’Brien, 8-Jamie Heaslip. Replacements: 16-Sean Cronin, 17-Cian Healy, 18-Martin Moore, 19-Iain Henderson, 20-Jordi Murphy, 21-Eoin Reddan, 22-Ian Madigan, 23-Felix Jones. Wayne Barnes is the referee, so that’ll be the match ruined by his ineptitude/self-regard. Damn. Today’s pre-match entertainment will make you feel old and explain the slightly weird fourth paragraph. Happy 20th birthday for yesterday, to the album that set the standard for modern guitar music: 1.30pm GMT13:30 Dan will be here soon for business time. |