Wales vs Ireland - Six Nations

First topic message reminder :

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

Howley must go. Now.

Ahh this try should have been for Best

yappysnap wrote:Brilliant D by Wales!

To be honest I thought Phillips did very well with the speed of play at the base of the ruck in that period towards the end where Wales had a bit of momentum.

The second half is going to be very interesting, an early Irish try and you feel the Welsh team could implode.

The sad thing is Wales have no excuses for this kind of perfomance, most of the players on the field are the best in their position, or deserve a chance playing international rugby.

3-30 now

How many of bods tries have been pick and go's?

Thats the Lions 10. Right there.

Try by bod, 30-3 to ireland

3-30 at 44 minutes.

Feck me...have Wales turned up today?

Tippy on. Earls on for D'Arcy who's injured.

Earls on for darcy

30-3 after 42 minutes

Shingler off. Was he worth starting? I thought he was pretty anonymous.

Second half Ireland kick off and George North runs straight in to the Ireland team.

And Brian O'Driscol score another try for Ireland. Looks like it is going to be a Looooooooooong after noon for Wales.

Wales seem reluctant to pass at the minute.

What's with all the stamping?

How was Heaslip not pinged there?!!

This is all too easy. Senior Welsh players are letting the side down. Warburton is pulled off. He's not the only one who looked a shadow of their former selves out there. It's a confidence game and with all these defeats, Wales just don't have any confidence. This is going to be a long tournament for them I think.

How can a grandslam side be so poor???????

GAVIN HENSON COME SAVE WALES

nathan wrote:What's with all the stamping?

You're gonna get walked on if you lay on the ball on purpose.

Love the way BOD always manages to make doubters look really foolish.

Rory Best has been incredible. MOM so far.

Ireland defending like demons...

I like the way Poite says "Jimmee Jimmee..." when he wants Heaslip. Ireland not releasing. Wales have good attacking position now....if they don't feck it up.

yappysnap wrote:

nathan wrote:What's with all the stamping?

You're gonna get walked on if you lay on the ball on purpose.

I know, but your not allowed to do it. Both teams have been. If someones laying on the ball the ref should ping them.

Nice try

Well done Wales.

Try time! Well done Cuthbert!

Thank Allah for that!!!

Cuffbutt over with the Welsh try...

8-30 at 48 minutes.

Nice try Wales. Fairly poor defending Ireland.

Great try Wales.

Earls missing tackles again. NOT an international centre.

Cuthbert slices through... off a pass from Biggar.

Earls gives him a pat on the way past.

POM was holding his head there.

Earls making a mistake for another try? Happens too often at this level

well done wales..

get some pride and fight that score down..

The last thing i want is all the welsh to leave these boards- Where would be the fun in that!!

Good try. Wales showing some dignity. Shame their defense letting them down.

10-30
49 mins

Too little too late? Still a long way to go.

Zebo was sold a dummy there.

10-30 at 49 minutes.

Right can Wales do the comeback of the tournament?

I can see Wales running away with it now

"Backward!"

nathan wrote:

yappysnap wrote:

nathan wrote:What's with all the stamping?

You're gonna get walked on if you lay on the ball on purpose.

I know, but your not allowed to do it. Both teams have been. If someones laying on the ball the ref should ping them.

You are allowed to step on the player if they're in the way to you getting to the ball, you don't have to try to avoid them. It's over dramatised to try to show the ref that the player's off side, you're right the ref should ping them but French refs and Poite in particular are well known for letting a lot go in the rucks.

TIPPY! Gwaaan lad, show Howler that you're better than BOS!

Wales looking alto better now

Ireland slacking. Must regain control and finish this off.

Phillips so slow to get rid of it...

Butler: "Mike Phillips delayed the pass and now Wales are in trouble..."

Get that fecker off now!

Phillips cocks it up by taking 43 minutes to get the ball away.

Phillips you legend!! Don't pass just wander around with the ball and then spill it. Face palm!

It's come alive! Great 30 coming up