International
Ireland Hold Off Wales in Cardiff
Ireland withstood a Welsh fightback to secure a vital win in their World Cup warm-ups
Ireland held off a Welsh comeback to secure a 22-17 victory in the Principality Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Two Jacob Stockdale tries along with a penalty try saw the Irish build a 22-3 lead with 22 minutes left on the clock, but a Rhys Patchell led fight-back from Wales left got them back within touching distance late on.
Both teams had a decent start with Wales dominating possession however although they couldn’t make that count as Ireland got the scoreboard ticking with a Jack Carty penalty.
On 16 minutes they were all even as Jarrod Evans popped over a penalty from straight in front of the posts.
Two minutes on and the Irish were in for the first try of the game as a Carty offload allowed Andrew Conway to break through the Welsh defence. He raced all the way to the five-metre line before passing out left for Stockdale to touchdown.
Man of the match Carty struck the conversion beautifully from the touchline to make it 10-3 in the away side’s favour.
Evans had a chance to cut the lead but missed from a penalty on 26 minutes.
That proved costly as two minutes on and a poor offload from Aaron Shingler left the ball bouncing on the ground. Stockdale didn’t need a second invitation to pounce, kicking ahead, picking the ball up and racing over for his second try of the game.
Carty missed the resulting conversion along with a penalty from the Welsh ten metre line on the stoke of half-time to leave the score at 15-3 when the whistle blew.
Wales failed to make possession count in the first five minutes of the second half and for the next quarter of an hour Ireland camped inside the home side’s 22.
Ireland were dominant in the scrum and their pressure led to a yellow card for Wales’ substitute tighthead Leon Brown on 51 minutes.
With Wales down to 14 Ireland continued to pressurise them and with 58 minutes on the clock Roman Poite awarded a penalty try as the lead was pushed out to 19 points.
After then Wales dominated, hitting back with a try six minutes later through Owen Lane, who showed great feet to finish in the right corner. Patchell converted and suddenly it looked like a comeback could be on.
It was Patchell who set up a nervy finish to the game by closing a few minutes of Welsh pressure in the Irish 22 by stepping inside Garry Ringrose and diving over for a try just left of the posts.
His conversion made it a five-point game with four minutes on the clock. However, Ireland managed to weather the storm and see out the game 22-17.
It was the first time Ireland have defeated Wales on home soil since August four years ago, again in the lead up to the World Cup and will leave the squad much happier following their demolition at the hands of England last weekend while Wales will be disappointed not to have won in Warren Gatland’s final home game.
The two teams meet again next weekend in the Aviva Stadium, by which time both will have named their 31-man squads to travel to the World Cup in Japan next month, and it is expected the pair will name full strength teams in their final warm-up games ahead of the tournament.
Player Ratings:
Wales:
Hallam Amos (6), Owen Lane (7), Scott Williams (5), Owen Watkin (5), Steff Evans (6), Jarrod Evans (5), Aled Davies(7); Rhys Carre (6) , Ryan Elias (6), Samson Lee (7), Adam Beard (6), Bradley Davies (6), Aaron Shingler (5), James Davies (6), Josh Navidi (7)
Replacements (7)
Ireland:
Will Addison (6), Andrew Conway (8), Chris Farrell (6), Bundee Aki (8), Jacob Stockdale (8), Jack Carty (9), Kieran Marmion (7); Dave Kilcoyne (7), Niall Scannell (7), John Ryan (6), Iain Henderson (7), James Ryan (7), Tadhg Beirne (6), Peter O’Mahony (7), Jack Conan (6)
Replacements (7)
Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to confirm contract extensions for Conor Murray and Jack Daly with Brian Gleeson to be promoted from the Academy to the senior squad next season.
Murray and Daly have signed one-year extensions with Gleeson moving up to the senior squad on a two-year deal.
Gleeson is one of five Academy players moving up to the senior squad next year with Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan, Mark Donnelly and Edwin Edogbo also signing two-year deals.
Conor Murray is one of the most decorated scrum-halfs in world rugby with 116 Ireland caps and three British & Irish Lions tours to his name.
A former St Munchin’s College student, the Garryowen man won his fifth 6 Nations title with Ireland last month and earned his second league title with Munster last season.
The 34-year-old has made 185 Munster appearances and scored 34 tries for the province to date and was named on World Rugby’s Team of the Decade in 2019.
25-year-old flanker Jack Daly came up through the ranks at Castleisland RFC and made his Munster debut against Zebre in 2020.
Daly joined the Academy in 2018, moved up to the senior squad in 2021 and plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen. A former Ireland U20 international, he made his Champions Cup debut against Toulouse in the quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium in 2022.
Try-scoring number 8 Brian Gleeson leads the charge for the Ireland Under-20s against France ©INPHO/Evan Treacy
20-year-old Gleeson moves up to the senior squad after just one year in the Academy that has seen him score one try in nine senior appearances.
Currently out of action with an ankle injury, he had already made three Champions Cup appearances before turning 20.
The powerful back-row forward was a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s last year. plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen and came up through the ranks at Thurles RFC and Rockwell College.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against Scotland at Aviva Stadium (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Ireland – currently sitting top of the Six Nations table heading into Super Saturday – can clinch back-to-back Championship titles with victory over Scotland in Dublin.
Farrell has named an unchanged starting XV for the Round 5 clash, as Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash and James Lowe continue in the Ireland back three. Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki are once again selected in midfield, with Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park the starting half-backs.
Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong pack down in the front row, with Joe McCarthy partnering Tadhg Beirne – who is set to win his 50th Test cap for Ireland – in the engine room.
Captain Peter O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have opted for a 5-3 split on the bench, with Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan providing the reinforcements up front, and Conor Murray, Harry Byrne and the fit-again Garry Ringrose the backline options.
Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media One and ITV, with live radio coverage available on RTE Radio 1.
Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, Guinness Men’s Six Nations, Saturday, March 16, 4.45pm)
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(39)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(5)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(71)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(55)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(30)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(13)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(34)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(63)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(25)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(75)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(9)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(49)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(104)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(61)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(40)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(30)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(128)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(39)
19. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(19)
20. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(45)
21. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(115)
22. Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster)(3)
23. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(57).
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Peter O’Mahony captains Ireland for the Round 4 visit to London, with Hugo Keenan returning to the starting XV after recovering from injury.
Keenan joins Calvin Nash and James Lowe in the Ireland back three, with Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw continuing their midfield partnership.
Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park are retained as the half-back pairing.
In the pack, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong are in the front row, with Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne named in the engine room. Captain O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have selected a 6-2 split on the bench, as Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan provide the reinforcements in the pack.
Backs Conor Murray and Ciaran Frawley complete Ireland’s Match Day 23 to face England.
Saturday’s match is live on RTÉ2 and ITV.
Ireland:
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(38)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(4)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(70)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(54)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(29)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(12)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(33)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(62)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(24)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(74)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(8)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(48)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(103)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(60)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(39)
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(29)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(127)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(38)
19. Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster)(80)
20. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(18)
21. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(44)
22. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(114)
23. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(3)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
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