Six Nations: Wales 18 Ireland 27
The scoreline scarcely conveys the full story. Ireland initially becalmed home team and crowd alike in the opening quarter but thereafter lost their way a tad and it was a white-knuckle ride until Sam Prendergast made it a two-score game in the 78th minute.
Under the enclosed, deafening din of this exceptionally atmospheric stadium, Wales and the Six Nations came alive.
The home side were, as expected, much improved; beyond recognition in truth. As was always liable to be the case, Matt Sherratt had injected enthusiasm, energy and no little cohesion in his first game in charge. Their set pieces were strong and with a much more balanced 9-10-12-13 combination their attack had variety, shape and width.
Ireland’s initially confident and smooth start unravelled in large part through ill-discipline and especially scrum penalties. This was compounded by Garry Ringrose incurring a red card following a bunker review for his 35th-minute high hit on Ben Thomas, and Ireland were relieved and indebted to this being a 20-minute red card, not least as Bundee Aki was an ideal replacement.
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Wales 18 Ireland 27 FT as it happened: Ireland come back in second half and win the Triple Crown
Ireland had looked a little rattled while conceding 15 points in Ringrose’s absence to trail 18-10. However, back to 15 men they regrouped and, with Jamison Gibson-Park and Prendergast pulling the strings, rediscovered enough of their attacking rhythm to seal a 14th Triple Crown and keep alive hopes of a Grand Slam with 17 unanswered points. Once again they were well served by an impactful bench, be it the experience of Aki, Finlay Bealham and James Ryan, or the raw strength of debutant Jack Boyle.
That said, they had given up on the notion of a bonus point win long before the finish and left the door ajar to be overtaken. Indeed, in order to win a historic third outright title in succession, Ireland may well need to complete a Grand Slam.
Although one theme was set early on when Andrew Porter was pinged at the first scrum, Jack Conan stole ruck ball and Ringrose, with little room or time, threaded a lovely grubber up the line and followed it like a golfer watching his putt go in as the ball rolled over the touchline for a 50/22.
Dan Sheehan ran infield and linked with Ringrose in a good launch play and Ireland went through the phases to earn a penalty into the corner. Sheehan hit Tadhg Beirne and although the Welsh defence initially held firm, Joe McCarthy rumbled through Elliot Dee and Dafydd Jenkins to put Ireland on the front foot and when Gibson-Park popped the ball off the deck to Conan, who ploughed through Tomos Williams to score.
Prendergast converted and went through his repertoire of kicks _ an up-and-under, a perfect crosskick to Mack Hansen and a deft grubber. Despite a third Welsh scrum penalty Robbie Henshaw snaffled loose ball and when Gareth Thomas temporarily replaced Nicky Smith he was penalised at his first scrum and Prendergast made it 10-0.
But after Joe McCarthy failed to gather the restart and Ireland were pinged for offside, Gareth Anscombe opened Wales’ account. They also worked Max Llewellyn into space on the right wing his pass inside was fumbled by Tomos Williams with a try abegging.
A long clearance and a clever kick up the touchline by James Lowe led to Ireland missing a good chance when Mack Hansen came across from his wing and adroitly passed overarm to Jamie Osborne but his attempted pass to Ringrose flew low over the touchline.
Wales exited well and when Jac Morgan counter-rucked, Robbie Henshaw was pinged for holding on. Worse still for Ireland, Ringrose was then initially yellow carded for a head-on-head hit on Ben Thomas, which was subsequently upgraded to a red card after Anscombe landed the penalty.
Prendergast saw a 45-metre penalty hit the upright before a fourth Welsh scrum penalty, and third against Porter, ensured Wales ended the half by laying siege on the Irish line off two lineout drives and after innumerable head down charges at the line Morgan muscled into van der Flier and over the line. Anscombe’s conversion made it 13-10 at the break, during which time Ringrose’s fate was confirmed, and the Principality was throbbing.
Furthermore, Ireland overplayed their hand in their own half and Prendergast knocked on in attempting a switch and Will Rowlands carried hard into the Irish 22 before Anscombe and Gareth Thomas combined for Blair Murray to arc around the Irish outhalf and Tom Rogers finished acrobatically in the corner.
Ryan Baird, the late call-up for and ill Cian Prendergast was now on for Conan, and he carried well in the build-up to Nicky Smith being offside and Sam Prendergast reduced the lead to 18-13 before a loud Irish cheer greeted the sight of Aki coming on for Ringrose – Wales having scored 15 points in the latter’s absence.
A wonderful, pinpoint, one bounce touchfinder by Prendergast led to a second 50/2 and a second Irish try from this source. Using a penalty advantage, Gibson-Park lofted a kick to the corner for his buddy Lowe, who climbed above Murray and palmed the ball infield for Osborne to finish. Prendergast’s missed conversion from wide out meant the match could not be more finely balanced at 18-all entering the final quarter.
Prendergast spiralled a huge penalty to touch and Ireland looked sure to score when Gibson-Park sniped around the edge but Hansen, who could have passed to Sheehan on the edge, was brilliantly held up over the line by Murray. Compensation came by way of Prendergast’s penalty to nudge Ireland back in front.
Aki made his presence tell after Sheehan tackled Aaron Wainwright when swiftly executing a jackal to win a penalty. To audible surprise, Prendergast signalled a shot at goal from fully 50 metres with the angle, and to loud Irish cheers the ball sailed between the posts with distance to spare.
The Fields echoed around the Principality but Prendergast then kicked out on the full and once again the Welsh maul made inroads, Gareth Thomas carried hard and Jarrod Evans’s long pass hit the debutant Ellis Mee celebrated a try in the corner when tackled by Hansen.
Referee Christophe Ridley’s initial on-field decision, signalled by assistant Gianluca Gnecchi, but on review the English TMO Ian Tempest correctly deemed that Mee had knocked on slightly short of the line.
The Ireland scrum, strengthened by the introduction by Bealham, earned a relieving penalty and Prendergast put the result beyond doubt after a counter-ruck by Josh van der Flier, supported by Boyle, led to Henry Thomas holding on.
He missed another long-range shot but Irish fans could start celebrating a hard-earned win and a Triple Crown.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 7 mins: Conan try, Prendergast con, 0-7; 21: Prendergast pen, 0-10; 23: Anscombe pen, 3-10; 35: Anscombe pen, 6-10; 40 (+3): Morgan try, Anscombe con, 13-10; (half-time 13-10); 43: Rogers try, 18-10; 49: Prendergast pen, 18-13; 56: Osborne try, 18-18; 67: Prendergast pen, 18-21; 70: Prendergast pen, 18-24; 78: Prendergast pen, 18-27.
WALES: Blair Murray (Scarlets); Tom Rogers (Scarlets), Max Llewellyn (Gloucester); Ben Thomas (Cardiff), Ellis Mee (Scarlets); Gareth Anscombe (Gloucester), Tomos Williams (Gloucester); Nicky Smith (Leicester), Elliot Dee (Dragons), WillGriff John (Sale Sharks); Will Rowlands (Racing 92), Dafydd Jenkins (Exeter); Jac Morgan (Ospreys, capt), Tommy Reffell (Leicester), Taulupe Faletau (Cardiff).
Replacements: Gareth Thomas (Ospreys) for Smith (19-30 and 64 mins); Henry Thomas (Scarlets) for John, Jarrod Evans (Harlequins) for Anscombe (both 54); Aaron Wainwright (Dragons) for Reffell (47); Joe Roberts (Scarlets) for Rogers (63); Evan Lloyd (Cardiff) for Dee (74). Not used: Rhodri Williams (Dragons).
IRELAND: Jamie Osborne (Leinster); Mack Hansen (Connacht), Garry Ringrose (Leinster), Robbie Henshaw (Leinster), James Lowe (Leinster); Sam Prendergast (Leinster), Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster); Andrew Porter (Leinster), Dan Sheehan (Leinster, capt), Thomas Clarkson (Leinster); Joe McCarthy (Leinster), Tadhg Beirne (Munster); Peter O’Mahony (Munster), Josh van der Flier (Leinster), Jack Conan (Leinster).
Replacements: James Ryan (Leinster) for McCarthy (41-50 and 65 mins); Ryan Baird (Leinster) for Conan (44); Finlay Bealham (Connacht) for Clarkson (50); Bundee Aki (Connacht) for Ringrose (52); Jack Boyle (Leinster) for Porter (71); Jack Crowley (Munster) for Hansen (73), Gus McCarthy (Leinster) for Sheehan (75); Conor Murray (Munster) for Gibson-Park (78).
Sent-off: Ringrose (35 mins).
Referee: Christophe Ridley (England)
