Old wounds still pain Wales

Of all the lessons Warren Gatland purports to have learned since Wales last lifted the Six Nations title, the biggest and most painful was that served up in Dublin 13 months ago.

In the opening game of the defence of back-to-back titles, Wales were swept aside by the emerald juggernaut that was Ireland’s pack that day as Paul O’Connell’s side mauled the Dragons to within an inch of their lives.

Two years earlier, George North and Jamie Roberts had laid waste to the Aviva Stadium; this time they barely touched the ball in anger.