MATCH PREVIEW
Get ready for some “lazy journalism”. That’s how Wales coach Warren Gatland described suggestions this game was a grudge match between him and Ireland centre Brian O’Driscoll. But, though Gatland and O’Driscoll have tried to insist otherwise,
Gatland’s decision to drop O’Driscoll
for the final British and Irish Lions Test in the summer caused the kind of furore that rarely unfolds in rugby. When asked to reflect last September, O’Driscoll admitted: “Yes, there’s resentment, of course.”
Analysis
“I am sure Gatland will get the odd boo and the Irish players will be trying just as hard as ever, but with the additional incentive of wanting to prove a point, especially those who were eclipsed by Welshmen for a place in that final Test victory over Australia..”
Read Jeremy Guscott’s Six Nations preview
As such, much of the pre-match build-up for Saturday’s game will be defined by last summer’s events.
However, the depth of O’Driscoll and Gatland’s involvement in this game’s narrative runs much deeper.
For O’Driscoll, fresh from becoming his
nation’s record appearance holder against Scotland last weekend,
this clash is his penultimate Ireland appearance on home soil.
For Gatland, it is a trip back to the start of his rugby coaching roots – he was in charge of Ireland between 1998 and 2001.
It is also a prime opportunity for Gatland’s Wales side to provide an emphatic answer to those doubters – Irish and otherwise – who questioned the wisdom of selecting
10 Welsh players for that final Lions Test.
Nine of those 10 Welshmen – plus three more tourists in Alex Cuthbert, Gethin Jenkins and Sam Warburton – start at the Aviva Stadium, although Jonathan Davies, the most contentious Lions selection in the eyes of the Irish, is no yet back to full fitness after injury. Ireland also field eight of the 2013 Lions tourists.
There is no shortage of mouthwatering personal battles: Jamie Roberts and O’Driscoll in opposing midfields, Lions scrum-halves Conor Murray and Mike Phillips, number eights Jamie Heaslip and Taulupe Faletau, full-backs Rob Kearney and Leigh Halfpenny and, perhaps the most important of all, Adam Jones versus Cian Healy in the front row.
By his own admission,
Jones is struggling with the new scrum laws.
Gatland sought
clarification with the IRB this week
regarding the penalties conceded by his pack against the Azzurri and is clearly concerned.
For all the off-field history this fixture throws up, perhaps the purest of on-field rugby issues – the pack – could be where this game is won and lost. Messrs O’Driscoll and Gatland would be pleased if that’s the case.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
- Ireland’s victory in the corresponding fixture last season ended a run of three consecutive defeats against Wales.
- That 30-22 win in Cardiff came despite Wales having almost twice as much possession and Ireland being forced to make twice as many tackles.
- Wales have won two of the last three meetings between these sides in Dublin; however, Ireland have taken victory in five of the last seven games on home soil.
Ireland
- Ireland have not begun a Six Nations with back-to-back victories since the Grand Slam year of 2009.
- Their victory over Scotland last week ended a four-game winless run in the Six Nations.
- Brian O’Driscoll has not scored a try for Ireland in eight matches since the opening game against Wales in last year’s 2013 Six Nations.
- O’Driscoll became Ireland’s record appearance holder last weekend when he won his 129th cap. Including his Lions appearances, he is two shy of equalling George Gregan’s world record of 139 Test caps.
Wales
- Wales are in the midst of their best-ever run of away form in the championship with five consecutive victories. France are the only team ever to win six in a row (2003-05).
- Wales’ only defeat in their last 11 Six Nations games came against Ireland last season.
- Wales’ win over Italy last weekend was only the sixth time they have begun a Six Nations campaign with a victory in 15 attempts.
- They set a new Welsh championship record of 400 minutes without conceding a try, until Michele Campagnaro scored for Italy last week
TEAM NEWS LINE-UPS
Ireland make two changes to their starting line-up, with Paul O’Connell returning as captain after missing the Scotland game with a chest infection.
Gordon D’Arcy comes into the backline, replacing Luke Marshall, while Dan Tuohy drops to the bench because of O’Connell’s return.
Sam Warburton leads the Wales team
– all in the pack. Warburton replaces Justin Tipuric at open-side flanker while Gethin Jenkins comes into the front row, having been rested for last week’s win over Italy.
Luke Charteris injured his hamstring against the Azzurri and is replaced in the second row by Andrew Coombs.
Ireland
: 15-Rob Kearney, 14-Andrew Trimble, 13-Brian O’Driscoll, 12-Gordon D’Arcy, 11-Dave Kearney, 10-Jonathan Sexton, 9-Conor Murray; 1-Cian Healy, 2-Rory Best, 3-Mike Ross, 4-Devin Toner, 5-Paul O’Connell, 6-Peter O’Mahony, 7-Chris Henry, 8-Jamie Heaslip
Replacements:
16-Sean Cronin, 17-Jack McGrath, 18-Martin Moore, 19-Dan Tuohy, 20-Tommy O’Donnell, 21-Isaac Boss, 22-Paddy Jackson, 23-Fergus McFadden
Wales
: 15-Leigh Halfpenny, 14-Alex Cuthbert, 13-Scott Williams, 12-Jamie Roberts, 11-George North, 10-Rhys Priestland, 9-Mike Phillips; 1-Gethin Jenkins, 2-Richard Hibbard, 3-Adam Jones, 4-Andrew Coombs, 5-Alun Wyn Jones, 6-Dan Lydiate, 7-Sam Warburton, 8-Taulupe Faletau
Replacements:
16-Ken Owens, 17-Paul James, 18-Rhodri Jones, 19-Jake Ball, 20-Justin Tipuric, 21-Rhys Webb, 22-James Hook, 23-Liam Williams
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee
: Wayne Barnes (England)
Touch judges
: Glen Jackson (New Zealand) JP Doyle (England)
TV
: Graham Hughes (England)
Article source: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/french-clubs-vote-return-heineken-6352068
Ireland v Wales
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