Williams makes plea for patience at Croker

MARTYN WILLIAMS believes patience will be critical when Wales aim to ambush Ireland’s Triple Crown ambitions in Dublin on Saturday.

Wales head to Croke Park with flanker Williams at the helm after regular captain Ryan Jones was sidelined by a calf muscle injury. It is Williams’ 95th cap – a new record for a Wales forward – and the seventh time he has led his country.

But statistics do not interest the 34-year-old flanker, who would rather a victory that would send Wales’ rollercoaster RBS Six Nations campaign back on an upward curve.