‘It will be close but Ireland can win if we do basics right’: Hayes

RUGBY great John Hayes believes Ireland will need to be at their best to win today as the Welsh have no “fear” of the hosts.

The former international prop also said ex-Irish coach Warren Gatland would relish spoiling the party with his Welsh charges.

“They will be a tough prospect,” Hayes said. “It will be close but I think Ireland will win it.

“Wales come over to Dublin and they always travel here without any fear, and they have got a few players back, and they’ll come out hoping to get their Six Nations back on track.”

The clash comes as Gatland will take charge of his 100th Test match as Wales coach, against Ireland today, and Hayes said he would want to win.

“He is a professional, he wants to win. He wants to beat Ireland. It’s his job.”

Elaborating on what he thought Ireland needed to win, the celebrated player said: “No mistakes in defence.

“We won’t get away with conceding three or four tries against Wales.

“I think that is what Joe Schmidt gets out of his teams. He gets them doing all the basics right, and if we do that, I think he will get us over the line.”

The rugby giant was one of the attendees at the launch of the first-ever permanent exhibition on the Irish Flag at the GPO Witness History visitor centre, on O’Connell Street, Dublin. The exhibition commemorates the 170th anniversary of the first flying of the Irish Tricolour by Thomas F Meagher in 1848 in Waterford.