Stockdale finally breaks Welsh resistance
So Ireland are now red-hot favourites for the title. This breathless bonus point win over Wales, combined with England’s defeat at Murrayfield where they failed to claim even a losing bonus point, has seen to that.
But what an extraordinary way for it to happen. If you had predicted that Joe Schmidt’s team would score five tries, enjoy two thirds of the possession, three quarters of the territory, concede just four penalties, and still go within a whisker of losing, you would have been declared daft.
Wales were like the zombie that just won’t die at the Aviva Stadium.
Ireland had over 80 per cent possession at one point midway through the second half, when they led 27-13. Yet somehow Wales kept coming back – and very nearly nicked it at the end.
With the score 30-27 to Ireland, the clock in the red, and Wales on the attack, it took an intercepted try from Jacob Stockdale to finally, finally kill the visitors off.
It was a strange match. Gareth Davies had warned in the build-up that Wales would be going for a bonuspoint win in Warren Gatland’s 100th match in charge, so confident were they after their win over Scotland and their near-miss at Twickenham. In the event they hardly touched the ball.
Ireland, despite being shorn of three Lions in Tadgh Furlong, Iain Henderson and Robbie Henshaw, were dominant for, particularly at close quarters. But they were their own worst enemies.
Ironically, Johnny Sexton was one of the chief culprits. Ireland’s fly-half and talisman had missed the first part of Friday’s captain’s run having treatment to his back but the Aviva breathed a collective sigh of relief when his name was read out in the confirmed team.
The 32-year-old made a very sloppy start, though, leaving eight points on the field in the first quarter alone, with two bad penalty misses and one missed conversion. He also had a ball ripped off him in contact and later eschewed a penalty in favour of running the ball.
True, he also set up Stockdale’s seventh minute try with a lovely flat pass, and produced a fine break and offload to Rob Kearney. But this was not vintage, ice-in-theveins Johnny.
Schmidt said he was impressed by his No 10’s heart, and passing, if not his accuracy off the tee. “To use a golfing analogy, he was great with his irons but didn’t have his putting game,” he said.
While Sexton was stuttering – unable to convert Irish dominance into points – Wales were grinding their gears.
Halfpenny showed Sexton how to do it with an early penalty from 45metres, but it was a rearguard action as Gatland’s team struggled to get out of their own 22m. Even when Sexton missed, Wales handed back possession. Stockdale’s first try – and seventh for Ireland in as many games – came after Scott Williams threw a forward pass after Sexton’s kick hit the upright. On the rare occasions Wales did get up the pitch, they took advantage. After 20mins of Ireland pressure Hadleigh Parks carried into the Irish 22m, Aaron Shingler took it on, Rob Evans spilled it, and then Davies skipped through the middle of Stockdale and James Ryan. Then Halfpenny stepped up to make it 13-5 to Wales after Rob Kearney accidentally kicked the ball out of Dan Biggar’s hands following an excellent leap and catch from the Wales No 10.
It was an extraordinary scoreline considering the balance of play but Ireland kept plugging away.
Keith Earls became increasingly influential, while Chris Farrell, in for the injured Henshaw, fully deserved his man-of-the-match award.
Sexton reduced the arrears with a penalty before Bundee Aki – hitherto anonymous – scored on the stroke of half-time, stretching over the line to hand Ireland a deserved 15-13 lead.
Ireland picked up where they left off with Dan Leavy and Cian Healy scoring to secure what had seemed before the game like an unlikely bonus point; both from close. 27-13.
Wales, though, refused to die. And as the replacements began to enter the
Visitors forced into rearguard effort
field, so the game began to open up and Ireland’s grip loosened. Shingler went over in the corner after the ball was spun right to bring Wales back to within a converted try.
Ireland thought they had finally killed Wales off with a late Sexton penalty – following a huge Irish scrum after 74 minutes – but the visitors came back, scoring yet again through Steff Evans after good work from Scott Williams, who took on two players before offloading to Navidi.
In the final minute the tension ratcheted up another few notches, Wales won a lineout on the halfway and tried to run it, only for Gareth Anscombe to throw an intercept pass when he had a huge overlap out wide, the ball picked off by a grateful Stockdale.
The stake had finally been driven through the zombie’s heart and Warren Gatland, when asked who he thought might win a grand slam decider at Twickenham on St Patrick’s Day, his answer was to the point: “I don’t care.”
In the event, England lost. Ireland are edging towards this title, though Schmidt won’t entertain thoughts of that St Patrick’s Day meeting just yet. “We don’t look beyond the next game [Scotland],” he said. “It’s boring but that’s what we have to do.”