Roberts: loss to Irish would be ‘gutting’

WALES centre Jamie Roberts is determined to prevent an “absolutely gutting” scenario unfolding at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.

But the odds are against Roberts and company making a successful RBS 6 Nations title defence following their unconvincing Italian job.

Wales’ Six Nations campaign was almost reduced to ruins at Stadio Flaminio on Saturday, retrieved only by a late Tom Shanklin try after Italy belied their status as tournament whipping boys. A 13-point victory is the task they face against Ireland.

A win of any description would clinch the Triple Crown — and deny Ireland a first tournament clean sweep since 1948 — but Wales will need to deliver a display way above anything they showed in Rome.

“We do not want to see the Irish taking the trophy around the Millennium Stadium pitch,” said Cardiff Blues star Roberts. “That would be absolutely gutting.”

Ultimately, Italy were undone by substitute Tom Shanklin’s classy try that provided a rare moment of excitement for Welsh fans. But a furious Gavin Henson questioned his team’s tactics after storming off at Stadio Flaminio. Henson was enraged when Wales chose to take a long-range kick at goal deep into injury time of their 20-15 success.

Henson wanted the ball booted into the proverbial row Z as a prelude to referee Alan Lewis blowing the final whistle, therefore denying Italy any chance of launching a counter-attack. And Wales ran exactly the risk Henson feared, as Stephen Jones’ strike landed well short of the Italian posts, but the Azzurri knocked on in their eagerness to mount a last-gasp offensive.

Henson said: “I was frustrated. I didn’t agree with the decision at the end, that’s all.

“The game was won, wasn’t it? I would have grabbed the ball and put it straight out. I am not sure whose decision it was. I think we are still arguing about that one.”