'They’re hard to break down, that’s the thing about the Irish team': Terse Gatland eventually admits defeat

Ireland 37 - Wales 27: Warren Gatland can always be relied on to offer a pithy comment or a smartly-aimed barb and they were much in evidence as the Wales coach reflected on a first Six Nations defeat to Ireland since 2014.

Yet as the Welsh sank to their second defeat of this 2018 championship and Gatland admitted his side’s race was already run with two rounds still to play, the New Zealander did concede that while he was no fan of their playing style, Ireland aren’t half a handful to get the better of.

During his post-match press conference, he digested a helter-skelter, eight-try match dominated by an Ireland side unable to convert that into a secure victory until the last play of the game past 80 minutes.