Disastrous start as Welsh firepower proves too much for Irish hopes

A disastrous start left Ireland with an impossible task when they fell 19-0 behind after just 15 minutes at Stadio Zaffanella last night.

And while they battled back in a bid to rescue the game and set up a clash with Australia on Saturday for fifth place, it was just too much to expect against a side they had lost to by seven points in the Six Nations.

The DVD will not make for easy watching as basic errors were punished ruthlessly and then when Ireland put the phases together, sloppy handling undid the hard work.

It was deeply frustrating to watch and it will be difficult for Ireland, mentally and physically, to regroup for Saturday’s clash with Scotland which will decide who finishes seventh.

Finishing seventh will be the lesser target — Ireland will just be anxious not to leave this tournament on this note as they failed to spark on a frustrating night in the hot and sticky Italian conditions.

Ireland’s 19-12 loss in Wales in the Six Nations did little to suggest that they would be turned over so easily in this fifth-place play-off match, but they suffered one hammer blow after another at Stadio Zaffanella.

Ireland needed a solid start but were on the back foot from the start as Wales ruthlessly punished them from the outset. A break off a midfield scrum created the opening for Wales as Ireland struggled to get tackles in and full-back Dafydd Howells, who made his senior debut against Japan last year and clocked up 11 appearances for the Ospreys during the season, raced through to score.

The Irish response was good and it looked like they cancelled the score but Ciaran Gaffney was deprived short of the line by try-scorer Howells.

Wales, on the other hand, made every chance count and No 8 Harrison Keddie showed good hands down the left to feed outside, where Seb Davies made the overlap count. Jarrod Evans was on hand to convert and make it 12-0 after just nine minutes.

Ireland were struggling in their set-piece and regular knock-ons undid a lot of hard work. They were left with a mountain to climb when Wales made it 19-0 after just 15 minutes.

Ireland captain Josh Murphy seemed to be obstructed in midfield but Wales made the opportunity count and left winger Joshua Adams scored after being put through by Howells.

Moments earlier, Ireland had a chance to get off the mark but Joey Carbery was unable to land the penalty from 35m on the right wing.

Ireland finally managed to string some phases together and laid siege on the Welsh but while their flanker Tom Phillips was binned as they desperately defended their line, Ireland could not get over.

Ireland were given some hope after the restart when Sam Arnold broke from deep and while Nick Timoney was caught by Howells in the left corner, Ireland recycled well and Ringrose sent Gaffney over in the right corner.

Carbery added the points and Ireland were given further hope when Welsh captain Ollie Griffiths was binned for a high tackle on Carbery towards the end of the third quarter.

Ireland managed to put pressure on the Welsh set-piece and were rewarded with a try off a scrum into the final quarter, with scrum-half Charlie Rock getting the touchdown to reduce the margin to 22-12.

Wales rarely got out of their own half but poor handling did little to help the Irish cause and give real momentum to the comeback.

They will now play Scotland in Viadana on Saturday, with the real action taking place half an hour away in Cremona, when the first of the three ‘finals’ will kick off with Wales playing Australia.

That wasn’t what was envisaged when this group left Ireland.

Scorers for Wales: D Howells, S Davies, J Adams tries; J Evans 2 cons, pen

Scorers for Ireland: C Gaffney, C Rock tries; J Carbery con

WALES: D Howells; EW Benham, G Smith, O Watkin, J Adams; J Evans, T Williams; L Garrett, L Belcher, D Lewis; S Davies, A Beard; T Phillips, O Griffiths, H Eddie.

Replacements: J Thomas for Smith (39), D Jones for J Evans (44), K Bale for Garrett (54), R Elias for Eddie (64), T Myhill for Belcher (72), J Jones for Lewis (78),

IRELAND: C Gaffney (Galwegians); S Fitzgerald (Shannon), G Ringrose (UCD), S Arnold (Ballynahinch), J Stockdale (Queen’s University Belfast); J Carbery (UCD), C Rock (Old Beveldere); A Porter (UCD), S McNulty (UCD), O Heffernan (Terenure College); D O’Connor (St. Mary’s), A Thompson (Queen’s University Belfast); J Murphy (UCD) (Capt), C Oliver (St Mary’s), N Timoney (St Marys).

Replacements: C O’Donnell (Sligo/NUIG) for Heffernan (half-time), A McBurney (Ballymena) for McNulty (43), L Dow (Queen’s University Belfast) for Oliver (53), R Moloney (Buccaneers) for Timoney (53), F Cleary (Lansdowne) for Arnold (72), Owens (Queen’s University Belfast) for Ringrose (72), L O’Connor (Cork Constitution) for Porter (78), T Quinlan (Cork Constitution) for Carbery (78).