Tactically we got it spot-on

THE reactions at the final whistle said it all. For Ireland, the smiling faces reflected the quiet satisfaction of a job well done.

For Wales, the drawn expressions were those of men facing the firing squad on their return to the valleys.

The past fortnight has been a difficult period for both teams for different reasons. Ireland’s defeat in Paris and the manner of their first-half performance left many question marks hanging over their current wellbeing.