And our man Marler puts the boot in too!
SIX NATIONS FINALE
IF IRELAND do not rain on Wales’s parade, it is certain now that Storm Hannah will. With Gareth — not Anscombe or Davies, but Tuesday’s tempest — blowing through earlier in the week, it’s Hannah’s turn to wreak havoc.
Strong wind warnings are in place for Cardiff today for the Grand Slam game, and the heavens are set to open on what could be a glorious finale for Warren Gatland in his last meaningful home Test with his adopted nation.
So, with 50mph gusts primed to whip this one up into a frenzy, naturally Ireland have decided that the lid must be taken off the Principality Stadium.
Time for the 275,000 expected in town to don the flippers and snorkels, then.
With the decision taken by Joe Schmidt and his team on Thursday afternoon to keep the roof open — despite playing dumb on the topic in his press conference — Ireland will hope it does not blow back in their faces, but dampens the partisan crowd and a fiery Welsh team instead.
Wales were woeful in the wet in Paris at the start of the tournament, so they had better have learnt from that.
This is now set to be no glitz and glamour show, no Super Saturday of tries galore and basking in the glow.
But while that might suit an Ireland side who ominously have not shown their best yet in this Championship, the Welsh have hardly poured attacking stardust over the Six Nations, either.
Having scored 89 points and nine tries so far, Wales could seal a Slam with the fewest points and tries
scored in the expanded tournament’s history.
For their last sweep in 2012 it was 109 points, 10 tries. Underwhelming some might say. Wales did not care then and they will not now.
‘Whenever Wales have done well in the Six Nations, our defence has been at the forefront,’ said centre and defensive captain Jonathan Davies, who has led a savage band of tacklers this term.
Irish skipper Rory Best is also primed for battle on his Championship swansong.
‘This is going to take one of the best performances this group has put together,’ he said.
‘It is going to be incredibly tough. To win an away game in the Six Nations is tough enough, but to play a team on a roll, who have won four in a row and are going for the Grand Slam in this stadium adds to the ingredients.
‘We are under no illusions about what it will take.
‘For us, this game is about taking a step forward. The first three rounds, we played in bits and pieces, but France was more like what we wanted.
‘We need to and have to perform better. We need to be somewhere near our best to get a win.
‘Wales look a confident bunch, we know how good they are. They are in a rich vein of form.’
There seems to be a steel about this Welsh team. Led by battlers Alun Wyn Jones, Ken Owens and Davies they have not lost in over a year. Unbeaten in 13 Tests, their centre says they are ready to sweep Europe.
Racing fan Davies, who also won a Grand Slam in 2012, has backed Irish horses all week at Cheltenham — Band Of Outlaws was his big winner on Wednesday — but is determined his side will not fall at the final hurdle.
‘Everyone wants to be involved in these big games,’ he said. ‘It is not for one person, it is everything you represent. Your nation, family and as a group we are extremely tight.
‘It is making sure that when you go out on the field you represent them and do everything you can to get the result you want. You feel a responsibility as a squad to give your all and when those championship minutes come into play, you feel confident that the work you have put in will put you in a good place. ‘That’s how Gats likes us to be when it comes to the last 10-15 minutes. We know we have plenty in the tank to keep pushing. ‘This would be perfect timing for a complete performance.’