Four-try Ireland end Pivac's short Wales honeymoon
reland fullback Jordan Larmour has scored a fine solo try as they claimed a deserved 24-14 bonus-point victory over defending champions Wales in a bruising encounter that lifted the hosts to the top of the Six Nations.
Prop Tadhg Furlong, flanker Josh van der Flier and winger Andrew Conway also crossed on Saturday for the home side, who used their forward power to gain territory and set-piece dominance and outscored their visitors four tries to two.
“Our physicality was brought to the next level and in all fairness to Wales, they came and they pushed us hard so it was just great to get the win,” Ireland winger Jacob Stockdale told ITV
“They came and they fired a few shots early on and we know how good we can be when we’re all over our carrying and our break down and it just had to come throughout the game.
“Once were started to do that the tries came and it was a really fun game to play in.”
Scrumhalf Tomos Williams and flank Justin Tipuric scored fo r Wales, who suffered their first Six Nations defeat in nine matches having completed the grand slam in 2019.
Wales Captain Alun Wyn Jones admitted it was tough to take positives from a game which ended in defeat.
“Ultimately Test rugby is about winning isn’t it?” Jones told ITV.
“You can have all the enterprise and all the beauty you like but ultimately it’s about the result.”
It is also a first loss for new Wales coach Wayne Pivac, while Ireland counterpart Andy Farrell now has back-to-back wins heading into a meeting with England at Twickenham on February 22.
Ireland dominated the opening 20 minutes and eventually Larmour was put into space out wide and saw off four defenders to power over the line.
The visitors were dealt another blow when in-form wing Josh Adams was forced off injured after 25 minutes, but shortly afterwards they grabbed the lead.
Jones provided a sumptuous offload in the tackle for Dan Biggar and the five-eighth fed t he ball inside for Williams to score.
The halfback, however, then dropped a routine pass five metres from his own goal-line.
From the resultant scrum, Ireland took the ball through the phases for Furlong to barge his way over and give the home side a 12-7 halftime lead.
Ireland kept up their territorial advantage in the second period and were rewarded with a try from a driving lineout as Van der Flier rose from the melee with the ball in hand.
Wales centre Hadleigh Parkes then lost control of the ball as he stretched to dot it down over the line, before Conway produced the final score, crossing in the corner to claim the bonus point for the home side.
The Welsh will seek to get their campaign back on track when they host France in Cardiff in a fortnight.
AAP
WATCH: Jim Hamilton is joined by good friend and England International Freddie Burns to discuss the selection issues England face and Andy Farrell’s slip up in a recent press conference.
Comments on RugbyPass
This game was always going to be close, Canada have such a dominant pack and the Black Ferns have come unstuck in that area against teams like France and England in the past.
2 Go to commentsA distinct discomfort with the officiating they were probably selected from the local IRA narcos branch along with the commentators bloody fly tippers.
1 Go to commentsWow, never thought I would read that
2 Go to commentsExcellent match. Great to see Keenan and Ryan back for Leinster. Super result for Ulster. Season is turning around.
1 Go to comments“We need eight or nine new players, who are hard-wearing and durable and experienced Premiership performers”. So why are they scouting a retired fullback who himself admits that his “body is broken”?
1 Go to commentsBrumbies hand, knocked a Crusaders hand. Therefore, knock on in goal. Crusaders, goal line drop out should’ve been awarded. most likely after that 24 each at full time, so extra time would’ve been the right an entertaining outcome. Act Jim
1 Go to commentsSpeell cehck
1 Go to commentsColeman is gaawwwwnnn.
1 Go to commentsnext SA head coach?
3 Go to commentsGreat try by van Poortvliet.
1 Go to commentsThey have been cruelled by injuries but almost nobody (Sevu Reece and Fletcher Newell big exceptions) has played above himself which regularly happened before. Surely Scott Robertson had maintained the recruitment programme and it looks like a reasonable squad. Last in this competition will stall a lot of careers. Penny seems likeable. But it’s not enough even though this was better. We haven’t been good enough and it’s not helped by the “it’s been 15 years since… “etc “after nearly every match. Seems somehow a soft gifting of something once valuable. Kieran Read giving comments last week almost choked describing the easy surrender of possession by the forwards. I’d love to think that the senior players some of whom are back can show enough pride in the jersey to test the Blues next week.
3 Go to commentsWho will Joe select for the back three with so many in form candidates? Just hope he doesn’t get shafted like Dave Rennie and to a lesser extent Deans.
7 Go to commentsAlways reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
3 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
7 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
5 Go to comments