Rugby, Six Nations: Ireland-Wales 31-7

Ireland first dominates, then suffers, resists and not only wins, but at the end of time and with one man less they also find the bonus goal, which establishes the 31-7 with which they beat Wales in Dublin in the match that opened the day of the Six Nations rugby. Match directed by Andrea Piardi, the first time by an Italian referee in a Tournament match. Coach Andy Farrell’s team thus continues its perfect progress and rises to 15 points, momentarily +7 over England (expected shortly by Scotland at Murrayfield in the second match scheduled today), while Wales remains at 3. After the second week of stoppage, Ireland will resume challenging England at Twickenham (Saturday 9th), while Wales will host France (Sunday 10th).

MASTERS OF THE FIELD

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Jack Crowley’s free-kick won by Bundee Ake in the group broke the deadlock in the 7th minute. In the 21st minute the first try of the match arrives: the Irish scrum wins a free kick outside the 22, the touch is chosen, from which a maul is born which breaks through also thanks to the support of the back three, with the hooker Dan Sheehan who crushes. Ireland are totally in control of the pitch and the game and in the 32nd minute they score their second try. Long, exhausting possession in the 22, the Welsh try to defend themselves from the breakthrough attempts of the forwards on the line, but inevitably they are exposed and so from the quick hands of Crwoley the ball reaches Calvin Nash, who on the tackle passes the ball over his head to offer it to his left to James Lowe, who can comfortably place the oval on the ground now without opposition. Crowley transforms both. Only at this point did Wales manage to show a sign of life, forcing the Irish to defend their 22 for several minutes, but without creating dangerous opportunities.

defence

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In the 43rd minute Wales launches a touch from 5 metres, the maul advances and seems to break through, but the second line Tadhg Beirne is there to bring it down irregularly: yellow card and technical try. With numerical superiority, Wales does not find any more points, but at least they finally show themselves in the match. He lays siege to the opposing 22 players, around the 55th minute he builds an attack lasting 19 phases, but the Irish defense is perfect and leaves no gaps, until he regains possession by forcing a hold. The goal arrives, in the 60th minute, but it is Irish, or rather, it would be, given that Ake’s effort, which overwhelms two opponents to smash under the posts, is nullified by the call of the Tmo, who notices an involuntary deviation in a previous phase , Robbie Henshaw forward in favor of a teammate. The try that ends the match, however, arrives in the 68th minute: free kick and yet another touch at 5 meters (choosing the posts today seems forbidden…), the Irish maul does not advance and then James Gibson-Park invites Ake to break through, blocked, then after a second attempt, the scrum half throws the fullback Ciaran Frawley (making his debut from the first minute to replace the injured Hugo Keenan), who with a perfect running line receives and throws himself into the hole in front of the posts, for the first goal for the national team, which Crowley obviously converted. But the game in the second half is definitely true and Wales pours into the opponents’ 22, besieges the goal line and forces the Irish to defend themselves irregularly, with the inevitable yellow for the substitute second row James Ryan. When the game restarts, number 8 Aaron Wainwright seems to break through, but an Irishman holds the ball high for him: another sensational Irish defense. And so the front is reversed, Ireland earns a free kick that allows them to enter the 22 opponents and, despite the man less, 57 seconds after the 80th minute, they find the right corridor with Beirne for the bonus goal . Crowley converts it for the final 31-7.