Wales vs Ireland - Six Nations

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Date - Saturday 2nd February 2013, KO 13:30
Venue - Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Wales

Coverage - Watch live on BBC One NI, BBC One HD
Internet - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/
Radio - BBC Radio Ulster
Replay the Game - BBC iPlayer

Wales Team

15 L Halfpenny
14 A Cuthbert
13 J Davies
12 J Roberts
11 G North
10 D Biggar
09 M Phillips
01 G Jenkins
02 M Rees
03 A Jones
04 A Coombs
05 I Evans
06 A Shingler
08 T Faletau
07 S Warburton (capt)

Replacements

16 K Owens
17 C Mitchell
18 P James
19 O Kohn
20 J Tipuric
21 L Williams
22 S Williams
23 J Hook


Ireland Team

01 Cian Healy
02 Rory Best
03 Mike Ross
03 Donnacha Ryan
05 Mike McCarthy
06 Peter O'Mahony
07 Sean O'Brien
08 Jamie Heaslip (c)
09 Conor Murray
10 Jonathan Sexton
11 Simon Zebo
12 Gordon Darcy
13 Brian O'Driscoll
14 Craig Gilroy
15 Rob Kearney

Replacements

16 Sean Cronin
17 Dave Kilcoyne
18 Declan Fitzpatrick
19 Donnacha O'Callaghan
20 Chris Henry
21 Eoin Reddan
22 Ronan O'Gara
23 Keith Earls



TOURNAMENT RECORD

MATCH FACTS

HEAD-TO-HEAD
These two nations have clashed on 118 occasions since 1882. Wales have 65 wins; Ireland 47.

Wales have won their last three Tests against Ireland; two in the Six Nations, one at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Since 1985 Ireland have won 10 and drawn one in Cardiff, with Wales picking up just two wins.

Legendary Irish fly-half Ronan O'Gara has scored 100 points in 14 appearances against Wales. O'Gara and centre Brian
O'Driscoll are the record caps holders for Ireland against Wales.

WALES

Have lost their last seven games, their worst run since 2003 (when they lost 10 on the spin).
Should Ireland win this fixture, Wales would have lost five consecutive home games for the first time in their history (they lost four at home during that 10-defeat run back in 2003).
Have scored just seven tries in their last seven matches.
The Wales pack retained possession at 96% of their own put-ins during last season's Six Nations. However, they did win just 22 scrums across the whole tournament - fewer than any other side.
Alex Cuthbert made seven clean breaks in last season's Six Nations, more than any other player.

IRELAND

Prior to the win over Argentina in their final match of 2012 Ireland had lost five straight Tests, scoring just two tries in the process (this excludes XV versus Fiji). It was their worst run since 1998.
Ireland were top points scorers in last year's Six Nations, racking up 121 in total (an average of over 24 per match). This included 13 tries, the most they had scored in the competition since 2007.


Games played between Ireland and Wales: 118 18.13%
Games won by Wales: 65 55.08%
Games lost by Wales: 47 39.83%
Games drawn: 6 5.08%

Most wins in a row for Wales over Ireland: 5

Most wins in a row for Ireland over Wales: 5

Average Pts Per Game 13

Heaviest Defeat 3rd of Feb 2002 Ireland 54 - 10 Wales

Recent Record between Ireland and Wales

2012 - Ireland 21-23 Wales
2011 - Ireland 10-22 Wales (RWC)
2011 - Wales 19-13 Ireland
2010 - Ireland 27-12 Wales
2009 - Wales 15-17 Ireland
2008 - Ireland 12-16 Wales

Sexytoes kicks for the sticks.

0-10 at 21 minutes.

How did he miss that dg???

Ireland look like they've brought their power game today, looks worrying for Wales at the moment.

Eh? Why the fook did he go for a drop goal??? Typical Ireland.

10-0 ireland

Ireland lead 10 nil after a sexton pen.

no point, panic choice. not smart.

10 points to the good and Coombs has to watch it now - another penalty or 2 and he might be looking at a yellow

Yeah, they should have come away with more points. Wales were on the ropes... twice!

It's all Ireland at the moment. Will Wales stage a comeback? They just can't get the ball at the moment.

Rhys back on after stitches.

I forsee another post-GS disaster for us...

Ireland pinged for engaging too early in the scrum, but they have all the possession again.

embarrassing

Halfpenny gave a lovely hospital pass to Roberts there...

15-0 absolutely lovely from zebo

Yeeessssssssssssssss. Heeeealllly!

Dan Biggar cheers mate

Hook on

Tipuric on

omg... try!!!

heel to toe to hand to hand....

Wow! Great chargedown by Rory Best and that gives Ireland their second try finished by Healy.

0-15 at 24 minutes.

Wooohooo!

Thats one for the front row union. Rory Best chargedown to set it up and then Healy gets the score!

Holy sh1t that was mad

Zebo is unreal!

If Zebo scored that would have been an amazing try!

wow - great skills! Try Ireland!

Wales beating themselves here. Lovely skill by Zebo. Commentator is a bit annoying.

Usual charge down of bigger then.

Biggar will never start for Wales again

What a stupid laxidaisy way to destroy your international career.

17-0 Ireland

This is ridiculously easy for Ireland at the moment.

Sexytoes converts.

0-17 at 25 minutes. It's all Ireland. This could be a bigger and more embarrassing defeat than 2006!!

Bring on Hook.

Keep it up Ireland - I've got a tenner on this

I have to admit, when Zebo did that I made a rather effeminate noise.

Ireland in the Zone here. Outrageous by Zebo.

Healy or Zebo to finish as the 6N's top try scorers?

oh dear I knew ireland were playing nice, I knew wales wernt- i backed ireland- but this is becoming a joke!!

Howley has done nothing for Wales.

Where is George North?

well pilfered!

Wales lose the ball like it was a dog turd. You can't afford to give away the ball so easily when you're struggling to string some phrases together. I really hope Wales get back into this as this has an ominous look about it not just for today but for the whole 6N.

Please don't pick Phillips for the lions 9.

Brilliant turnover by Darcy I think

4 times in Irish 22

4 mistakes

This is really awful rugby from Wales.

Man, are you watching Trappatoni? We call him Zebinho!

Wales look shell shocked

Golden wrote:Brilliant turnover by Darcy I think

O'Driscoll got it, great start by him.

Wales have to change something - can't catch a break at the minute.

I can't work out if Ireland are playing well or Wales making them look good.

Sexytoes kicking another penalty.

0-20 at 28 minutes. Yep...this is worse than 2006...

20-0 after 28 minutes

Hmmm, dodgy decision that, Rees had one leg in the air!

Wow. Agree with Eddie.
Kidney must be a great coach????

Please bring Hook on, Wales should have kicked that penalty.