Six Nations: Wales keen to shine against Ireland

The Welsh travel to Dublin to face an Ireland side that took apart New Zealand in November, only to lose in the dying seconds, and who outplayed Scotland in their opening match.

But Wales will be quietly confident after seeing off a sturdy and spritely Italian team last weekend, and with a settled team packed full of triumphant Lions, they remain the team to beat in this year’s championship.

Wales looked like a well-oiled machine against the Italians, if a little complacent in the early exchanges. Ireland put in a complete performance against Scotland, outmuscling forwards in all departments and showing their backline how to keep the ball alive and slice through a defensive line.

Wales will be quietly confident after seeing off a sturdy and spritely Italian team last weekend.

Brian O’Driscoll (pictured above, centre), in his last Six Nations, was unspectacular against the Scots, playing an influential bit-part in several flowing Irish moves, but will be determined to seal a victory over the Welsh before taking on England on their home turf two weeks later.

O’Driscoll, 35, is unlikely to be too bothered by the intriguing sub-plot weaved into the Welsh match – his opponents are coached by Warren Gatland, who controversially dropped O’Driscoll for the final Lions test against Australia last summer – and if anything will be determined to prove a point on another big stage.

Ireland were not alone in competing hard at the ruck to win turnover ball during the opening weekend – a welcome change from a few years ago, when teams often left rucks well alone as if some ceremonial moment for recycling the ball.

Up and under

Most teams are also employing a tactic much favoured by Stuart Lancaster’s England: the up-and-under kick, which freezes play and disorganises defences in a moment of potential chaos.

England are still smarting after their last-minute loss to France, but Lancaster has kept faith with his personnel after being criticised for substituting some key players in the dying minutes.

His unchanged 23-man squad will want to replicate their fast-paced brutality against Scotland – if not the handful of errors among the forwards in the scrum and at one crucial line-out, that handed the game to France.

England’s young players like Jack Jowell, Luther Burrell and Jonny may will need to add assuredness to flair against Scotland.

Despite some solid and flowing rugby at times, Scotland’s forwards coach was scathing about his pack’s performance against Ireland, after several crucial turnovers at rucks and the lineout.

But England have not often enjoyed the trip to Murrayfield, and Scotland may want to take inspiration from France, who occasionally nullified England’s rush defence with some deft if fortunate chips through and over their backline.

England’s young players like Jack Nowell, Luther Burrell (pictured above) and Jonny May – the latter making a brave return after breaking his nose against France — will need to add assuredness to flair if they want to tame the promising Scots.

Composed rugby

France are blooding some new players of their own, including the 22-year-old fly-half Jules Plisson, who may at last have solved a recurring selection dilemma at fly-half after the long-running indecision over Frederic Michalak and Francois Trinh-Duc.

France will be wary of losing to Italy again following their shock defeat in 2011, especially after the Italians ran Wales uncomfortably close in Cardiff with some calm and composed rugby that built on the renowned strength of their forwards.

Italy were unlucky to come away with just two tries against Wales, both from the exciting young centre, Michele Campagnaro, following some clinical play among both forwards and backs.

The Italians were impressive in all aspects of their game – in defence, counter-attack and territorial kicking – and should travel to Paris with renewed confidence in their playing style.

France won over their home support quickly against England with some early scores, but their notoriously fickle fans may find reason to jeer again if Italy reproduce their fine form.