How Ireland rated: Outstanding start for Mack Hansen in the 'Lowe role'

Ireland started incredibly well, scored early and looked like they had the power and structure to just power through Wales

Sat, 05 Feb, 2022 - 18:41

Tom Savage

The Six Nations is a special time of year. Coming into this spring, Ireland were on a high. Could the build-up have gone any better? Three wins in November will give anyone a bounce. One over what had become a bogey side in Japan, one over an old enemy in Argentina and one over what has been the traditional benchmark in recent years - the All Blacks - sets Ireland up about as good as it could possibly be.

Wales, with a rake of experience out through injury and a mixed November, didn't really come in with the sheen or swagger of incumbent champions. The weird flow of time in the pandemic means that early 2021 feels like two seasons ago at this stage but, make no mistake, Wales were champions for a reason last year and despite their issues, nobody in the Irish camp would be dismissing the threat Pivac's men would pose, circumstances be damned.