WALES HUNGRY FOR FULL IRISH

WARREN GATLAND, as always will take a no frills approach to a Wales squad in desperate need of finding their way again.

There is the prolonged WRU governance struggles; the Welsh Regions are shambolic and underfunded for too long; and there is a looming mass exodus of players to England.

Gatland says the first mentioned has nothing to do with him; the Regions have improved since his appointment; and he wants the ‘ban’ on players going abroad lifted.

As far as on the pitch and the Six Nations are concerned he has arrived as an open book, looking to go with the tried and trusted from his previous regime.

The age profile and the idea there are seven players with more than 80 caps in the starting line-up was predictable.

Thus Gatland era stalwarts such as Leigh Halfpenny, George North, Dan Biggar, Ken Owens, Tomas Francis, Adam

Beard, Alun Wyn Jones, Justin Tipuric and Taulupe Faletau start.

And others such as Scott Baldwin, Rhys Webb and Alex Cuthbert are among the replacements.

If Gatland has, overarchingly, talked of momentum as the key to Six Nations success it is because he sees first-up Ireland as opportunity rather than bad timing for his grizzlies. PROSPECTS: Gatland knows what it takes to win a Grand Slam — three to his name and his 70 per cent win rate with Wales is impressive. He will gamble everything on game one. Mid-table.

WALES (XV v Ireland): 15 Leigh Halfpenny; 14 Josh Adams, 13 George North, 12 Joe Hawkins, 11 Rio dyer; 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Tomos Williams; 1 Gareth Thomas, 2 Ken Owens capt, 3 Tomas Francis, 4 Adam Beard, 5 Alun Wyn Jones, 6 Jac Morgan, 7 Justin Tipuric, 8 Taulupe Faletau