Ireland must keep ball out of Welsh hands

Donal Lenihan offers a fascinating tactical insight into the three key areas that will influence today's Six Nations clash at Croke Park.

1. Familiarity

WHO knows more about whom and, more importantly, who is in the better position to exploit it? Twelve of today's Irish squad toured South Africa with nine of the Welsh starting line up on last summer's Lions tour. In addition, Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards were hands-on coaches working on a daily basis with all the players. Knowledge is king in the hands of those who know how best to use it. The Welsh coaching duo are such a pairing. The question now is do they have the fire power, especially up front, to make maximum use of that insider knowledge.