Wales 18-27 Ireland LIVE RESULT: Six Nations favourites win Triple Crown despite encouraging Dragons display
IRELAND have beaten Wales to win the Triple Crown!
The Dragons were much-improved under interim coach Matt Sherratt, but the quality of the defending Six Nations champions prevailed in the Welsh capital.
Ireland now move to 14 points and sit at the top of the table with two more rounds of matches remaining.
Wales remain the only side in the Six Nations without a win, but their spirited performance against the Irish will encourage many.
- Match result: Wales 18-27 Ireland
- Wales XV: 15-Murray, 14- Rogers, 13-Llewellyn, 12-B Thomas, 11-Mee; 10-Anscombe, 9-T Williams; 1-N Smith, 2-Dee, 3-John, 4-Rowlands, 5-Jenkins, 6-Morgan (capt), 7-Reffell, 8-Faletau
- Ireland XV: 15-Osborne, 14-Hansen, 13-Ringrose, 12-Henshaw, 11-Lowe; 10-S Prendergast, 9-Gibson-Park; 1-Porter, 2-Sheehan (capt), 3-Clarkson, 4-J McCarthy, 5- Beirne, 6-O'Mahony, 7-Van der Flier, 8-Conan
CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS
Follow our live blog below...
Penalty - Sam Prendergast (Ireland)
Wales 0-7 Ireland
21. Wales will be hoping Ireland do not get their act together in the scrum anytime soon.
The visitors drive forward and Thomas collapses the scrum, gifting a penalty to Ireland.
This time, they opt to go for the kick.
Wales 0-7 Ireland
19. Wales manage to chase down their own kick but a poor pass takes all the momentum out of the attack.
The hosts seem unable to string more than four passes together without a handling error currently.
Gibson-Park punts downfield but it seems the wrong choice as it allows Wales to touch down on their own try line.
Wales 0-7 Ireland
17. The one positive for Wales so far has been the scrums.
They are getting a lot of joy as Ireland continue to give away penalties.
Sadly this has not transferred itself to any points as yet for the hosts.
Wales 0-7 Ireland
15. The handling and offloads from Ireland is a joy to watch.
This is a team brimming with cofidence.
Lowe bursts through the lines and it takes three players to stop him getting to the line.
Wales 0-7 Ireland
13. Ireland's decision-making o the rucks is sublime.
Williams is forced to kick clear from his own try line.
He relieves the pressure for a brief moment for the hosts.
Wales 0-7 Ireland
11. Wales have no time on the ball whatsoever.
As soon as Anscombe received the ball, Sheehan was bearing down on him.
The visitors are relentless in their pursuit of points here.
Credit: Sportsfile Wales 0-7 Ireland
9. In their defence, Wales only real made one mistake in the build-up to that opening try.
That is just how dangerous this Irish side is.
Wales come forward, looking to give their fans in Cardiff something to get excited about.
Wales 0-7 Ireland
7. Lowe and McCarthy almost made the line through the phases for the visitors before the try.
Conan showed great strength to get to the line under pressure.
Prendergast sends his kick sailing through the posts.
Try - Jack Conan (Ireland)
Wales 0-0 Ireland
5. A superb stab kick downfield from Ringrose.
It hits the turf and rolls over the touchline, close to the Welsh try line.
Ireland have the chance to pile the pressure on here.
Wales 0-0 Ireland
3. This will be a big test for this Welsh side this afternoon.
Ireland are looking to win the triple crown and set themselves on course for a Six Nations trophy.
The hosts are awarded a penalty for an elbow collapse in the scrum.
Wales 0-0 Ireland
1. Ireland have rested some key players for ths game today.
Wales will be looking to show them that games at this level can never be taken for granted.
After a knock-on for the hosts, Ireland have scrum on the halfway line.
Kick-off: Wales vs Ireland
We are underway in Cardiff.
This battle of the Celts is always some spectacle.
Ireland get the match started.
Wales rank outsides in Cardiff
It is a sad state of affairs in Welsh rugby when your team is such massive odds to win a home test.
Wales - 11/1
Draw - 50/1
Ireland - 1/25
All match odds brought to you by .
Tale of the tape
Here is how previous results have gone between these two sides in the Six Nations over the years:
2024: Ireland won 31-7 in Dublin
2023: Ireland won 34-10 in Cardiff
2022: Ireland won 29-7 in Dublin
2021: Wales won 21-16 in Cardiff
2020: Ireland won 32-9 in Dublin
2020: Ireland won 24-14 in Dublin
2019: Ireland won 19-10 in Dublin
2019: Ireland won 22-17 in Cardiff
2019: Wales won 25-7 in Cardiff
2018: Ireland won 37-27 in DublinIreland replacements:
16. Gus McCarthy, 17. Jack Boyle, 18. Finlay Bealham, 19. James Ryan, 20. Cian Prendergast, 21. Conor Murray, 22. Jack Crowley, 23. Bundee Aki
Ireland starting XV:
15. Jamie Osborne, 14. Mack Hansen, 13. Garry Ringrose, 12. Robbie Henshaw, 11. James Lowe, 10. Sam Prendergast, 9. Jamison Gibson-Park, 8. Jack Conan, 7. Josh van der Flier, 6. Peter O’Mahony, 5. Tadhg Beirne, 4. Joe McCarthy, 3. Thomas Clarkson, 2. Dan Sheehan (c), 1. Andrew Porter
Numbers behind the teams
Wales have scored 15 points in their two matches so far– their lowest-ever tally after two rounds of the Six Nations.
Wales could lose nine successive matches for the first time in the championship's history.
They are bidding to become the first nation to win three successive outright titles in the championship's history. It is a feat that has only been previously achieved including shared titles.
Simon Easterby's side can win consecutive Six Nations matches in Wales for the first time in 16 years.
Ireland have won seven of their last eight Tests against Wales, including the last three in a row by margins of more than 20 points.
Wales replacements:
16. Evan Lloyd, 17. Gareth Thomas, 18. Henry Thomas, 19. Teddy Williams, 20. Aaron Wainwright, 21. Rhodri Williams, 22. Jarrod Evans, 23. Joe Roberts
Wales starting XV:
15. Blair Murray, 14. Tom Rogers, 13. Max Llewellyn, 12. Ben Thomas, 11. Ellis Mee, 10. Gareth Anscombe, 9. Tomos Williams, 8. Taulupe Faletau , 7. Tommy Reffell, 6. Jac Morgan (c), 5. Dafydd Jenkins, 4. Will Rowlands, 3. WillGriff John, 2. Elliot Dee, 1. Nicky Smith
Some pre-match reading
Team news recap - Ireland
Ireland makes seven changes, while Dan Sheehan takes over as captain for the first time as Caelan Doris is sidelined due to a knee injury.
At eight, Jack Conan replaces Doris, and Sheehan takes Ronan Kelleher's position at hooker due to injury.
Prop Garry Ringrose is picked over Bundee Aki, Mack Hansen recovers from injury, Jamie Osborne receives his first Six Nations cap at the age of 15, and Thomas Clarkson gets his first Test start.
Following his injury, James Ryan, Finlay Bealham, and Bundee Aki were benched, and Joe McCarthy was also called up.
Uncapped Leinster prop For the first time, Jack Boyle is part of a matchday squad.
Team news recap - Wales
One of eight changes is Gareth Anscombe, who teams up with Tomos Williams for just the second time in this competition and earns his first Six Nations start since 2019.
Josh Adams, who played in the English Championship the previous season, is replaced by Ellis Mee, who makes his debut on the flank.
WillGriff John, who is 32 years old, is getting his first cap in three years. In a revamped front row, Nicky Smith and Elliot Dee join him, and Dafydd Jenkins makes a comeback after missing Rome because of sickness.
Tommy Reffell also gets called up, while Max Llewellyn makes his Six Nations debut.
Six Nations is BACK!
Wales's match against Grand Slam-chasing Ireland in Cardiff in round three of the Men's Six Nations marks the beginning of life following Warren Gatland's attempt to halt their worrying decline into rugby's darkest abysses.
Following Wales' record-breaking 14th consecutive Test defeat to Italy in round two, Gatland resigned as head coach.
Cardiff head coach Matt Sherratt has temporarily taken his place. His first assignment is to play an Irish squad that is trying to become the first team in the 142-year history of this event to win three straight outright titles in front of a sold-out Principality Stadium.
The visitors are the clear favourites to win the 14th Triple Crown after dominating their first two games against England and Scotland.
Stick around for all the latest updates at sold-out Principality Stadium. Kick off is at 2.15pm GMT.
Credit: Inpho
