Time to introduce new faces

AFTER a season that promised so much, Ireland were once again consigned to the role of bridesmaid as Wales collected the plaudits and the silverware.

Even before the kick-off, with France defeating Italy by the required margin of 43 points, Ireland’s grip on the Six Nations trophy looked increasingly tenuous.

The atmosphere in Cardiff underlined the importance of the occasion. The depth of feeling at the national anthem reflected a pleading nation. In a land where rugby gives meaning to life, they have endured some desperate times over the last 20 years. In the end, their players delivered, amid all the hype, in a manner even more convincing than the scoreline suggests.