Under-fire Dragons primed for battle

WALES arrived in Ireland last night and for once will be happy their Six Nations Championship game is away from home.

It has been a tumultuous fortnight in the Valleys following the shock departure of Mike Ruddock and even in a city where their former coach is still well respected for his previous work with Leinster, the Welsh team’s Dublin hotel will seem a haven.

The after-shocks from Ruddock’s departure are still being felt throughout the rugby community at large, still baffled at how a Grand Slam winning coach could be moved to quit within 11 months and in the middle of a Six Nations.