Honesty will be Wales’s best policy, says Beard

ADAM Beard says that honesty will be a key part of Wales’s recovery plan after their Guinness Six Nations title defence began in miserable fashion.

A 29-7 defeat against Ireland – Wales’s biggest Six Nations loss since they were beaten by a 23-point margin in Dublin eight years ago – has immediately put them on the back foot.

Resurgent Scotland arrive at the Principality Stadium on Saturday, and although they have not won in Cardiff for 20 years, Gregor Townsend’s team will start as favourites following their stirring Calcutta Cup victory over England.

Wales were dismantled by a ruthless Ireland side unbeaten since February last year, conceding four tries and staring at a blank points account until flanker Taine Basham claimed a late consolation score that Callum Sheedy converted.

“It felt like we didn’t fire enough shots out there,” Wales vice-captain Beard said.

“Discipline let us down big time, whether that was our own errors or whatever came from that. It is hugely disappointing.

“If we look back at the game, we let them score seven points in the first couple of minutes, and then seven points again in the first couple minutes of the second half.

“There were patches when we showed good physicality, but at international level you have got to be showing that physicality for the 80 minutes.

“Look, we will recover now, assess everything and be honest with each other.

“I think it is important that we are honest with each other and we work on those things we need to work on, and we will definitely have a good training week ahead of Scotland.”

Wales went into the game without a number of injured British and Irish Lions, including Alun Wyn Jones, George North, Ken Owens, Justin Tipuric and Josh Navidi.

But Beard added: “You could look at it and say we are losing a lot of caps, but then it is for boys to step in, put their hands up and give a good account of themselves.

“We didn’t lose because we were missing how many caps, it was because we didn’t perform on the day.

“That’s the brutal, honest truth about it.

“There are four games left – we are only game one into the campaign.”

Wales’s scrum held up well as one of the few positive outcomes for them. But a muchvaunted back division was unable to fire.