Warburton draws positives from second-half fightback

Wales captain Sam Warburton will head to Paris next weekend believing his side’s strong second-half fightback against Ireland can be the catalyst to ending a miserable eight-Test losing streak.

Ireland’s victory ended Welsh hopes of repeating last season’s RBS 6 Nations Grand Slam and, following a terrible autumn series, consigned the home side to a fifth straight home defeat.

Yet having trailed 30-3 after 42 minutes, Warburton saw his players stage a strong rally, cancel out a three-try deficit by pinning the Irish in their own half for much of the rest of the game, the relentless pressure producing yellow cards for Rory Best and Conor Murray.