Wales v Ireland 6N Championship Saturday 4th February 2023

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Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Saturday, 4 February Kick-off: 14:15 GMT

Wales: L Williams; Adams, North, Hawkins, Dyer; Biggar, T Williams; G Thomas, Owens (capt), Francis, Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Morgan, Tipuric, Faletau.

Replacements: Baldwin, Carre, Lewis, Jenkins, Reffell, Webb, O Williams, Cuthbert.

Ireland: Keenan; Hansen, Ringrose, McCloskey, Lowe; Sexton, Gibson-Park; Porter, Sheehan, Bealham; Beirne, Ryan; O'Mahony, Van der Flier, Doris.

Replacements: Herring, Healy, O'Toole, Henderson, Conan, Murray, Byrne, Aki.

Williams should get a oscar for that, love how he looked up at the ref before rolling in agony

Nothing in that, move on.

Well dealt with by Dickson that. Wow, not often I say that. Definitely no more than a penalty. Unsure how much Williams milks that given Henderson is about 19 stone and lands on him.

Wales have had so many chances in this half, but very little composure. Ireland haven't yet come out for the second forty.

Ireland can get the 4th try if they get out of third gear.

mikey_dragon wrote:Ireland can get the 4th try if they get out of third gear.

Our attack is always blunt with Murray

Come on Wales! Keep Ireland away from that bonus point

Wales have had most of the play in the 2nd half but just keep muffing it up when they get close to the line ... I'm not a Wales supporter but even I'm getting frustrated ...

Sexton milking it as usual. Nobody touched him.

Heaf wrote:Wales have had most of the play in the 2nd half but just keep muffing it up when they get close to the line ... I'm not a Wales supporter but even I'm getting frustrated ...

I feel like I'm watching Scotland play ireland

Deserved yellow

What are they doing to do about attacking players going into contact head first?

If Sexton hadn't played that up, Ryan asking the ref about a high tackle, arms waving, would that be a yellow? World rugby need to let the officials make the decisions not the players. This match has been ripe with arm waving and complaining to the ref. It's not right if you ask me but I'll accept the on field decisions.

So much inconsistency at the breakdown from Dickson.

Forward pass missed

Irelands attack a bit better with Murray off

Well Ireland didn’t get out of third gear but get the bonus point try. I haven’t been too good in my predictions lately.

mikey_dragon wrote:So much inconsistency at the breakdown from Dickson.

Generally the only consistent thing about Dickson is his inconsistency - that's why we apologised for him in advance ....

Carre should be starting for Wales, he's a class player

Heaf wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:So much inconsistency at the breakdown from Dickson.

Generally the only consistent thing about Dickson is his inconsistency - that's why we apologised for him in advance ....

He was absolutely fine for the match I thought. Don't really get the negative hype around him to be honest.

Badluck Welsh fans, not a great performance but I think they'll play better next weekend at Murrayfield. Ireland are no.1 for a reason

At least Dickson didn't get a close game where he would have influenced the outcome...

As comfortable as can be for Ireland. It was job done after ten minutes, really, but they can't afford to switch off like they did at the start of the second half v France. Wales were in the ascendancy for the opening 15-20 minutes of the second half, but they played at 100mph, zero composure, and the errors racked up.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Heaf wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:So much inconsistency at the breakdown from Dickson.

Generally the only consistent thing about Dickson is his inconsistency - that's why we apologised for him in advance ....

He was absolutely fine for the match I thought. Don't really get the negative hype around him to be honest.

Yeah wasnt too bad, prefer him to Barnes anyway.

Heaf wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:So much inconsistency at the breakdown from Dickson.

Generally the only consistent thing about Dickson is his inconsistency - that's why we apologised for him in advance ....

Fair enough, but I was wrong to say he’s worse than Biggar. He was much better.


Doris or VDF should have been MOTM. Time for Gats to rip up the play book and start over. Need a different set of forwards next time. Imagine not even selecting two of the better ones though (Smith and Morris).

To be fair it felt like in the second half the ref had taken pity on us. Well done Ireland, but that was pathetic from Wales.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Heaf wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:So much inconsistency at the breakdown from Dickson.

Generally the only consistent thing about Dickson is his inconsistency - that's why we apologised for him in advance ....

He was absolutely fine for the match I thought. Don't really get the negative hype around him to be honest.

As I said 'generally' - try watching him week-in week-out and see what you think ....

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Heaf wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:So much inconsistency at the breakdown from Dickson.

Generally the only consistent thing about Dickson is his inconsistency - that's why we apologised for him in advance ....

He was absolutely fine for the match I thought. Don't really get the negative hype around him to be honest.

He's improved an awful lot in the last 18 months to be fair to him. He was fast tracked as an ex player and it showed initially with him being quite frankly woeful. Teams used to lament him being appointed to their games, not so much now but some of that reputation still remains.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Heaf wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:So much inconsistency at the breakdown from Dickson.

Generally the only consistent thing about Dickson is his inconsistency - that's why we apologised for him in advance ....

He was absolutely fine for the match I thought. Don't really get the negative hype around him to be honest.

He's improved an awful lot in the last 18 months to be fair to him. He was fast tracked as an ex player and it showed initially with him being quite frankly woeful. Teams used to lament him being appointed to their games, not so much now but some of that reputation still remains.

Fair enough. I've seen him a few times in the HC and didn't see anything out of the ordinary. I'll take the word of prem fans who see him week in week out though.

Hugo Keenan deserved man of the match for me. When you see him talk he sounds like someone you might meet in the UCD library and not a rugby player but he is class.

There wouldn’t be any inconsistencies with Wayne Barnes reffing, I bet both Welsh and Irish supporters wish he was reffing today.

Collapse2005 wrote:Hugo Keenan deserved man of the match for me. When you see him talk he sounds like someone you might meet in the UCD library and not a rugby player but he is class.

Doris or Sheehan for me. Keenan was class as always though.

Not a very good srart for Gatland's come back.

What was the most upsetting about todays game, wasi the scoreline, or the performance?

majesticimperialman wrote:What was the most   upsetting about todays game, wasi the scoreline, or the  performance?  

Or that its too late for Liam Williams to get an Oscar nomination?

Didnt think Wales were terrible in that they did create chances they just have work to do to get to they level they need to be at. Cant expect them to be the finished article after 1 match.

Gatlang should really give Williams a slap on the arse for all the play acting though.

Perhaps Liam Williams and Sexton can duke it out in the ring? Whoever shows tears first loses.

Sexton ran head first and dipped into Liam, it was a bad move but by the letter of the law, a yellow is fair. Henderson ran up and left a straying, 19 stone arm. I don’t think Liam milked that… have you ever seen lock forwards go at each other? Liam is a winger/full-back… Some perspective is important.

The funniest was when Williams flopped on the ground like a scene from Platoon when Henderson grazed him then he looks up to see if the ref was watching before writhing in agony again. He also milked a very soft penalty when Porter perfectly legally tried to prevent him from scoring. Call Nigel Owens and get him to tell him its not soccer.

One-eyed Irish, quite a bit of bleating from them lot over Liam Williams this weekend. They’ve never liked him, not since he beat up Andrew Trimble.

Think it was the dirty hit on Paddy Jackson long after he grounded the ball in 2014 that did for old Liam's reputation with the Irish. Wonder if Gatland gave him a 'kick up the arse' after that hit.

I think that win for Ireland should not be underestimated. Sexton, Furlong and Gibson-Park are the three most important players in that team and they did it without two of them away in Cardiff. Ringrose maybe not getting the plaudits due to the performances of Keenan and Doris but I thought he was fantastic, as he has been for Leinster recently.

I don’t remember that hit, but you’d hope someone followed up and had a word with Liam after that. Might be time for some to let it go though.

Congratulations to Ireland on a good win.

mikey_dragon wrote:I don’t remember that hit, but you’d hope someone followed up and had a word with Liam after that. Might be time for some to let it go though.

Congratulations to Ireland on a good win.

Presume it was this one? Looks like he slid in and clocked the scorer with his elbow. I assume he got a lengthy ban after it? He certainly would these days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-XGWHmIVeo

Collapse2005 wrote:The funniest was when Williams flopped on the ground like a scene from Platoon when Henderson grazed him then he looks up to see if the ref was watching before writhing in agony again.

I'm an Ulster fan but Henderson was really lucky he only caught Williams shoulder. A few inches different and he makes flying contact with Williams head which would have left the Welshman out cold. Would have been a certain red and suspension.

Was very reckless and likely caused by Henderson's over eagerness having not played in several months

Maybe he does deserve an Oscar afterall. I didnt have a major issue with the penalty by the way I just dont believe for a minute Williams was injured, it was comical how much he milked it to get a card in my view.

The freeze frame lovers are out with time on their hands, what do we make of this.

https://twitter.com/DermotMccrum/status/1622206868641783808?t=Pwg1Bcc5Nt9rr1DRu-y4Yg&s=19

formerly known as Sam wrote:The freeze frame lovers are out with time on their hands, what do we make of this.

https://twitter.com/DermotMccrum/status/1622206868641783808?t=Pwg1Bcc5Nt9rr1DRu-y4Yg&s=19

It can’t be intentional but still, if picked up he will get a ban.

Northgrill wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:I don’t remember that hit, but you’d hope someone followed up and had a word with Liam after that. Might be time for some to let it go though.

Congratulations to Ireland on a good win.

Presume it was this one? Looks like he slid in and clocked the scorer with his elbow. I assume he got a lengthy ban after it? He certainly would these days.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-XGWHmIVeo

Don’t think the follow through elbow was intentional, but a reckless challenge. I think that was waved on, but pretty sure Phillips got a yellow there because of his behaviour throughout the game?

Did anyone else see the BBC’s match statistics for this game? They can’t be accurate. One not included was turnovers, I’d be interested in seeing that. Doris and VDF were fantastic, didn’t really notice POM.

Why what did you think was inaccurate?

mikey_dragon wrote:

formerly known as Sam wrote:The freeze frame lovers are out with time on their hands, what do we make of this.

https://twitter.com/DermotMccrum/status/1622206868641783808?t=Pwg1Bcc5Nt9rr1DRu-y4Yg&s=19

It can’t be intentional but still, if picked up he will get a ban.

I can't imagine it would have been intentional. In fact, you could probably grab a pile of freeze frames in the middle of rucks that wouldn't look too good. If it's picked up it'll have to be viewed in context of course, he's never been nor ever will be a dirty player.

mikey_dragon wrote:One-eyed Irish, quite a bit of bleating from them lot over Liam Williams this weekend. They’ve never liked him, not since he beat up Andrew Trimble.

I actually do like Williams and his *hithousery despite my being Irish. He knows exactly what he's doing although it's usually the job of the scrumhalf to rile the opposition but he has so many moments of sheer class that make up for the 'tomfoolery'. My son follows him on youtube or twitch or something, he does the same in Call of Duty

Collapse2005 wrote:Why what did you think was inaccurate?

Seemed favourable to Wales, almost tells a different story.