| Time |
Score |
|
| |
|
Hello and welcome to ESPNscrum's coverage of Wales v Ireland in Cardiff. The warm-ups are being completed, the roof is open and there's just a hint of rain in the air. Is that exactly what Wales coach Warren Gatland wanted?
The choir are finding their voice pre-match - they've belted out a cracking Fields of Athenry, now it's time for Bread of Heaven. The stands aren't quite full yet, but the pubs will be emptying rapidly with kick-off just 15 minutes away.
The teams are on their way out - and Paul O'Connell gets a very generous reception from the Millennium Stadium on the occasion of his 100th cap. That's always good to see.
The Wales team are in the tunnel and the traditionalists will be delighted to hear that the pyrotechnics that delayed kick-off against England in Week 1 are continuing again today...
Anthem time! O'Connell might be experiencing this for the 100th time, but he's no less passionate, albeit with a steely focus in his eyes.
Anthems over, we're moments from kick-off...
|
| 1 |
|
Wales to kick off, Dan Biggar with the ball - and we are go! An immediate knock-on from Ireland and Wales begin to build in the Irish half.
|
| 2 |
3 - 0 |
And a penalty to Wales, who have put Ireland's defence under pressure from the off here. Halfpenny from 35 metres, more or less in the middle of the field. An automatic three points? Yes, indeed. Wales lead and Cardiff begins to believe.
|
| 3 |
|
Deep kick-off from Sexton at the restart, but Wales deal with that very handily indeed. Biggar the first person to be put under pressure by an Irish up-n-under - and he handles it perfectly. Very encouraging start for the Welsh.
|
| 4 |
|
Halfpenny does brilliantly to gather his own kick ahead and Wales are building again in the Irish half. Jonathan Davies with a superb hand-off, Wales are into the Irish 22, down the left flank. Ireland clinging on in similar fashion to England when they were in Cardiff. Faletau pushing towards the line. Sexton makes a superb tackle on Biggar to stop what would have been a promising overlap on the left for Wales.
|
| 5 |
|
Great hands from Biggar to catch a Rhys Webb pass from the ruck, and Peter O'Mahony is penalised at the breakdown. Another penalty for Wales, another all-but-certain three points for Leigh Halfpenny.
|
| 6 |
|
Through it goes. Halfpenny doubles Wales' advantage.
|
| 7 |
6 - 0 |
Halfpenny - penalty goal
|
| 8 |
|
You won't see many marks quite like that. Sexton boots a terrific ball towards touch and somehow Leigh Halfpenny chases it down, dives, catches it mid-air and stays in bounds for the mark. That won't seem like a big moment in the grand scheme of things when this match ends, but wow, that was impressive.
|
| 9 |
|
Ireland, for the first time in the match, are actually developing a few phases. They're not making any ground at all, and eventually they infringe, Jamie Heaslip failing to release. It's at halfway - will Halfpenny have a pop at goal? Oh yes, he will...
|
| 11 |
9 - 0 |
Sails it through from his own half! What a boot that is! Halfpenny could not have struck that any sweeter, he was good from beyond his own 10-metre line!
|
| 12 |
|
Sexton puts his kick out on the full from the restart. Scrum Wales at halfway. Ireland are rattled!
|
| 13 |
12 - 0 |
Another penalty! Ireland being given a stern warning by referee Wayne Barnes who is determined to make them clear the way for Rhys Webb at any breakdown. Samson Lee will need some treatment after getting injured in the scrum, before Halfpenny can have another shot at goal. Lee doesn't look like he'll be continuing. It's a leg injury by the looks of things, and Lee is sucking in the gas and air provided by the physios. Fingers crossed this is not as serious as it looks, but the way in which the medics are treating this injury suggests it's a bad one. Lee goes off on a medical buggy and looks to be fighting back the tears. Just when everything was going in Wales' favour, too... Best wishes to Samson Lee.
|
| 14 |
|
Halfpenny nails the kick. Wales are flying, but how much will that Lee injury affect their gameplan? And at last, some good fortune for Ireland - Wales, ironically enough, penalised for not rolling away, just as Ireland have been. Sexton to kick from the right, a hush descends (which is nice to see), and Sexton drags it wide! Irish fans in the crowd look at one another as though the world is ceasing to spin.
|
| 16 |
|
Knock on against Sean O'Brien, but back it goes as referee Barnes is not happy about Scott Baldwin's high tackle. Penalty Ireland, and Sexton will try again.
|
| 17 |
12 - 3 |
He's barely in the Wales half, out on the right. It's a prodigious boot, and it's through. Vital kick for Sexton and Ireland.
|
| 18 |
|
Knock-on by Wales at the restart, but the advantage passes just as Ireland lose the ball. Wales seek to build again in the Irish half, which they did so effectively in the first 12 minutes. Play breaks down and it's a scrum to Ireland.
|
| 19 |
|
Ireland burst clear through Jared Payne, and Wales are caught offside. Barnes plays the advantage. And another one, as Wales are penalised again - I think again for offside - and Ireland have really turned things here. They build down the right flank. And a third advantage in a row to Ireland! They may as well take a risk, they do, and George North intercepts to end the advantage. Sam Warburton receives the same warning for his team that Paul O'Connell did for not rolling away. Sexton will kick for touch and Ireland will look to keep the pressure on from the lineout.
|
| 21 |
|
It's a terrible throw from Rory Best! Just when Ireland needed to nail the lineout and drive for the line, Best misses badly and Warburton takes it expertly in the air. He's tackled in the air, penalty Wales, and they boot clear. What an escape that is!
|
| 22 |
|
Another penalty against Ireland, this time for collapsing the maul. Another kick for touch, another lineout to Wales, who are now on the Irish 22, just moments after facing a do-or-die lineout on their own line.
|
| 23 |
|
Knock on at the lineout by Wales and Ireland get the put-in.
|
| 24 |
|
Samson Lee comes out of the tunnel to sit on the bench. His foot is in a cast. A sympathetic round of applause rings round the Millennium Stadium.
|
| 25 |
|
Wales steal the ball at an Ireland lineout, Luke Charteris with the grab. Wales knock on and ruin their chance of building, and Ireland clear deep.
|
| 27 |
|
Well, well - Sam Warburton sent to the bin for frequent infringement. Boos fill the Cardiff cauldron. A big moment and the proliferation of penalties in this match is going to start taking a heavy toll if that's the standard we're now at.
|
| 29 |
12 - 6 |
Sexton will kick for goal from almost slap bang in the middle of the Wales half. It's through and Wales' advantage has been cut again.
|
| 30 |
|
Ireland making all the running now, with their man advantage that will see them just about to half-time. Sexton misses a pass from Heaslip as he tries to organise the Irish backs. Ireland manage to recover the ball quickly but a knock on gives Wales a scrum on their own 10-metre line.
|
| 31 |
|
Both teams now being given a warning about pre-engagement in the scrum. "If you pre-engage, there will be sanctions," says referee Barnes. He's becoming the centre of attention here, rightly or wrongly.
|
| 32 |
|
Penalty against Ireland for wheeling the scrum. Biggar will kick for touch.
|
| 33 |
15 - 6 |
Wales building a super rolling maul, they're on the Irish 22. Webb looks to be trying to set up a drop-goal attempt for Biggar. Biggar. Straight. True. Three points.
|
| 35 |
|
For a moment there, it seemed as though Paul O'Connell might be about to break through for a superb try on his 100th cap, but he's slowed just enough. It's given to Jared Payne who gets into the Wales 22, then slipped to Tommy Bowe, but Wales are pulled up for tackling the man without the ball. It'll be an easy three points for Sexton.
|
| 36 |
15 - 9 |
Sexton - penalty goal
|
| 37 |
|
Sam Warburton puts his scrum cap back on, he has about 85 seconds of his sin-bin time remaining. His side are looking to push deep into Irish territory again before the break, ruck, pop pass, ruck, pop pass. Another drop goal perhaps?
|
| 38 |
|
Webb penalised for going off his feet and Ireland boot for touch. Warburton returns to action.
|
| 40 |
|
Oh, that was almost the best break of the half. Murray to Heaslip to Kearney, but he knocks on into Heaslip's hands. A scrum and this will be the last action of the first half.
|
| 40+1 |
|
"Fellas, just relax on the engagement," says referee Barnes. Tenner says the next yellow card is for a scrum infringement... And that's half-time. A super start from Wales has been evened out by Ireland, but they failed to truly make their man advantage count. Huge half-time for Joe Schmidt, arguably as huge a half-time for Warren Gatland.
|
| |
|
More bad news for Wales, with Gethin Jenkins ruled out of the second half through injury. Having already lost Samson Lee, that Welsh front row is hurting badly.
|
| 40 |
|
Sexton gets the second half underway. Offside against Ireland as Biggar clears his lines, and Wales will get to ease the pressure by booting for touch and (presumably) claiming the lineout around halfway.
|
| 42 |
|
Sexton takes his chances with a very cheeky dink kick over the onrushing Biggar, but Wales claim the ball well. From the breakdown, Biggar looks to fling the ball wide to North, but his pass is forward.
|
| 43 |
|
This is quite the international debut for Rob Evans, who is on for Gethin Jenkins. He's part of a two-thirds reconstructed front row for Wales now.
|
| 44 |
|
Out of play on the full again from Sexton, the second time he's done that. He looks pretty disgusted with himself for even trying that, on his weaker left foot and with no space to aim at over George North on the wing.
|
| 45 |
|
Warburton crushes Simon Zebo in a tackle and Zebo knocks on. Big hit from the Wales skipper. The Welsh scrum is holding up well despite the replacements, and they ship the ball wide left only for a miss pass to be misplaced beyond Leigh Halfpenny and out of play.
|
| 47 |
|
Another injury for Wales, this time Rory Best clatters into Jamie Roberts, who is left clutching his head. Looks like he'll be ok to continue after a bit of treatment, though.
|
| 48 |
|
Penalty for Ireland as a poor kick from Rhys Webb leaves pretty much all of the Wales' forwards offside. Sexton kicks into the Wales half for a lineout.
|
| 50 |
|
Ireland trying to build something now, Sexton gets lucky with a dropped pass that bounces kindly to avoid the knock-on, O'Connell bursts through on the left and Ireland are into the 22. Murray, to O'Brien, O'Mahony next to push forward, then Heaslip. Sexton with a switch pass into Henshaw. Payne looking for a way through on the right. Sexton again. Wales' defence has scrambled back into position superbly and Warburton the wrecking ball knocks McGrath off his feet.
|
| 51 |
|
Still Ireland build, they're up into the 20s in terms of phases in this passage of play. Will they line up a drop goal?
|
| 52 |
|
Murray, Sexton, Henshaw, tackle. O'Brien gathers and pushes forward. Heaslip to Payne who runs into Zebo who then falls over. Into the 30s now in terms of phases. Wales have pushed Ireland back out of the 22 in all of this, all the same.
|
| 53 |
|
Sweet hands from Zebo to keep the drive alive and Wales are penalised for not rolling away. Ireland kick for the corner. The challenge is very much being laid down right here. This passage of play could be the difference between a Grand Slam and nothing at all.
|
| 54 |
|
Devin Toner claims the lineout, Ireland set up a driving maul. Rory Best has it at the back of the maul. Inching, inching, inching. Brilliant pass out to Tommy Bowe who is brilliantly denied by a Welsh tackler right on the line. Ireland in danger of being turned over here. They wrestle it back. Heaslip down the right, towards the corner. Stopped. Murray rebuilds. O'Brien gathers and pushes towards the line. Heaslip now. Murray gathers again, to Sexton, to Payne. To Bowe. To Zebo and George North wraps him up and almost drives him into touch.
|
| 55 |
|
Still they go. Ireland keep building and building. Mike Ross onwards, back to O'Connell, onwards. Penalty Wales! The Millennium Stadium erupts! What absolutely incredible defence by Wales!
|
| 56 |
|
That could be a match-saving stand by Wales. Exactly what they failed to do against England in exactly the same area of the field at exactly the same time of the match in Week 1. Stunning passage of rugby from both teams, right up there amongst anything we've seen in this year's Six Nations.
|
| 57 |
|
Richard Hibbard comes on. His first involvement will be to throw in to the lineout on the Wales 10-metre line, Biggar having booted into touch after that penalty.
|
| 58 |
|
Alun Wyn Jones turns the Irish ball over with a brilliant hit on halfway, and then it's Davies breaking into space, he feeds Halfpenny, and now George North on the flank looking for a way through. Liam Williams down the middle for Wales and he's been stopped under the posts, out wide it goes and the pass is high and out of play! Just out of the reach of Halfpenny. Outstanding rugby once again from both sides.
|
| 60 |
|
Wales try once again, they're deep in the Irish 22. Webb to Jones who is dragged down by Heaslip. Biggar to Liam Williams. No way through. Lydiate pushes forward for Wales. Biggar to Scott Williams, he's dragged down. Webb to Biggar to Lydiate, back to Biggar from Webb, substitute Aaron Jarvis pushes Wales forward again. Ireland's defence being put to the test.
|
| 61 |
20 - 9 |
Faletau takes the ball forward, then it's shipped back and Scott Williams takes a great angle! Try Wales! And where Ireland couldn't find a way through, Wales do! Biggar's super little flip back to Williams gives him a great opportunity and there was no way the substitute was going to let that sight of the tryline pass him by.
|
| 63 |
|
Seventeen minutes to go. Twelve points needed by Ireland if they are to salvage their Grand Slam hopes.
|
| 64 |
|
Ireland are within five metres of the Wales line. They need tries. Eoin Reddan in at scrum-half. Paul O'Connell desperately trying to find a way through. Penalty for Ireland, Reddan takes the tap quickly. Ireland have an abundance of space on the right, they just can't get the ball out. And now they've knocked on! It's Cian Healy who is the culprit. That might be the Grand Slam out of reach now.
|
| 66 |
|
Wales have made 229 tackles to this point. Ireland an even 100. Outstanding defence from Wales throughout this match.
|
| 67 |
|
Super kick out from Jonathan Davies, deep in his own goal area and out beyond the 10 metre line. Outstanding execution once again from Wales.
|
| 68 |
20 - 14 |
It's desperate times for Ireland as they try to find a way through a resolute Wales defence. Can they find what the All Blacks found in the autumn and somehow turn this game around in the last 12 minutes?
|
| 69 |
20 - 16 |
Ireland get another penalty, and they kick for the corner. They've shown their hand - they're going for two tries to salvage this match. O'Brien has the ball at the back of a driving maul from the lineout. Penalty try! Wow, what a time for Ireland to get that. It appears that referee Barnes has objected to Wales collapsing the maul, and he's straight under the posts. This match is very much in the balance again!
|
| 70 |
|
Ten minutes to go, four points the difference. O'Connell manages to not knock on at a vital moment, deep in his own half, and Ireland can try to build.
|
| 71 |
|
Knock on by Sexton, advantage Wales and Phillips tries to pick up and get things moving for Wales. No joy, and it will be a scrum in the Irish half.
|
| 72 |
|
From the scrum, Mike Phillips tries to send a grubber through for Liam Williams, but it goes into touch.
|
| 73 |
|
Huge miss pass from the centre as Sean Cronin grabs it and is set free on the right. No way through though as the Welsh defence regroups. Ireland are looking round for a penalty and referee Barnes gives the penalty.... to Wales! Warburton turns the ball over and Wales are given the benefit of the doubt. He might have spent 10 minutes in the bin, but Warburton has been simply outstanding in the remainder of the match.
|
| 74 |
23 - 16 |
Halfpenny to kick for goal and potentially end this game as a contest. Bang. It's through. Seven points ahead with five minutes to go.
|
| 75 |
|
Jonny Sexton is off, substituted. Ian Madigan comes on. That's a massive call at this stage.
|
| 76 |
|
Jordi Murphy knocks on. It will be a Wales scrum on their own 22. Another big moment slips the way of Wales.
|
| 77 |
|
Wales penalised for the put-in at the scrum not being straight.
|
| 78 |
|
Ireland desperately seeking a way through, but the best they can hope for now is a draw. The Six Nations title is still up for grabs, but the Grand Slam is slipping away. However... a deliberate knock on by Jonathan Davies and he's in the bin! There's a delay as Richard Hibbard is tended to. He seems to have a shoulder complaint. He'll play on. Madigan will aim for the corner and Ireland will look for the try that could get them a stunning draw. It's a head injury for Hibbard and he's been dispatched for an assessment. Lineout on the five metre line - and Wales win it! Phillips boots it into touch. As you were.
|
| 80 |
|
Last minute, here comes the Irish drive at the lineout. O'Brien tucks it under his arm, the maul is pulled down and Wales have earned a scrum! Phillips will put in, by the time it comes out again, he'll be able to boot for touch and end the match. Offside against Ireland! That's it! Wales have done it!
|
| 80+1 |
|
An absolutely superb game of rugby, the best of the tournament so far, and the second half as breathless as anything you'll see this year. It's a huge win for Wales, who have a chance of winning the Six Nations Championship themselves now, while Ireland will have to lick their Grand Slam wounds and move on to next week and Scotland in Edinburgh.
|
