Win at Murrayfield or it will be a long campaign
WARREN Gatland and his coaching team know they can fix the problems they saw in the performance and the defeat to Ireland in the Six Nations opener in Cardiff. Wales have a reputation as slow starters and Ireland certainly were on fire in that first 20 minutes and completely caught us cold and we gave away far too many silly penalties and you cannot afford to do that against a team like Ireland.
Some of the penalties were real coach-killers and Gats would have been pulling his hair out at what he was seeing in the first 20-minute period against the best team in the world.
Gats now knows what he has to work with and what Wales have to work on during the next seven days but he would have recognised the character shown to stay in the fight despite conceding so many points early on.
Ireland are the number one team in the world for a reason and Wales let them settle into their own style and structure too early. We were chasing shadows from the third minute when Caelan Doris dived over for his side’s first try.
You really cannot let any side, let alone the best team in the world, settle so early into their stride and compound that by giving away some really soft penalties to allow them to get a real foothold in the game.
You had a sense it was going to be a long afternoon when lock James Ryan and wing James Lowe all added to Wales’ agony, but the indiscipline and unforced errors made by Wales in that first quarter are all fixable.
Gats will know that and his new coaching team of Alex King, Mike Forshaw and Jonathan Thomas will know that. Giving soft penalties away by some repeat offenders really put Wales under unnecessary pressure. It’s simply not good enough at Test level and you are always punished for a lack of discipline.
Discipline is key and Wales really need to sort it out because we face Scotland side who love playing at Murrayfield and will definitely fancy their chances after their impressive victory over England at Twickenham yesterday.
All of the Welsh problems we saw are really fixable and they are quick fixes too. Gats and his coaching team will know that and you can bet they will work on them all of the week ahead of the trip to Scotland.
Ireland came into this game ranked as the number one team in the world and rightly so. What surprised me was how fly-half Johnny Sexton was allowed to dictate the pace and tempo of the game so easily.
We all know you have to go after Johnny and ruffle his feathers, get on his case and get inside his head, but we allowed him a really easy side and let him do what he wanted.
Sexton then just dictated the pace and flow of the game and punctured our defence with ease and showed why he is one of the most influential players in the world.
His ability to manipulate defences and deliver deft passes and carve openings for his team is second to none. He was the difference between the sides and the mastermind for Ireland’s victory.
During the second-half we saw what this Wales side are capable of and the produced a side much more recognisable Gatland-style performance with an emphasis on being physical and disciplined.
It was a display that I certainly recognised but all the damage had been done in that first 40 minutes and trying to get back in the game when you are 27-3 down means you have to take risks.
I thought centre Joe Hawkins, playing in only his second full international, and wing Rio Dyer showed why they were given their opportunity and showed some really nice touches and a glimpse of the future.
Joe is a lovely footballer and has some silky skills but showed he can do the hard yards too. His pass for Liam Williams’ try was a nice touch and was the highlight of a much-improved second half for Wales.
Dyer’s performance and willinga ness to run and attack was a joy to behold and he certainly showed he has what it takes on the international stage. Both of them are players with big futures at this level for Wales.
Jac Morgan, the Ospreys flanker, was another player who I thought was superb in a Welsh pack that never got to grips with their Irish opponents at all in Cardiff. He always made yards when he got his hands on the ball.
The fact the Welsh pack never got to grips with Ireland is a surprise when you think of all the experience and know-how selected in that Wales pack. To see them out-thought and out-muscled in that first 40 minutes will have hurt and they will be determined to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Gats and captain Ken Owens will know they didn’t come close to producing an 80-minute performance but they do have that second half performance against the Irish to build on.
After Scotland’s well deserved victory against England at Twickenham, Wales will be aware of what awaits them. Starting so slowly and playing for 40 minutes will be punished by Scotland.
It is only Gats’ second game in charge but the game at Murrayfield has the feel of a must-win game because otherwise it could be a long Six Nations campaign for Wales.
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