Warren Gatland has named an unchanged Wales starting XV to take on Ireland in their crucial Six Nations encounter in Cardiff this weekend.
Sam Warburton captains Wales for a 34th time, surpassing the record set by Ryan Jones. While the starting line-up remains the same, there are two injury-enforced changes on the bench, where Scarlets duo Rob Evans and Jake Ball come in for Paul James and Bradley Davies respectively.
“We return to the Millennium Stadium after two tough away trips with two victories and will be looking to build on that,” said Gatland.
“We saw an improvement against Scotland and then saw another step up against France and we know we will need to do the same against Ireland on Saturday. Ireland are the form team in Europe and we know it is going to be a huge battle.
“The changes on the bench mean Rob Evans gets an opportunity. We have been impressed with him for his region and at training. Our strength in depth in the second-row is highlighted again as Jake comes back into the squad.
“Saturday is also a fantastic achievement and honour for Sam. He has developed into the role fantastically and is a modern day professional. He is a role model that will continue to get better.”
WALES TEAM TO FACE IRELAND:
Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon), George North (Northampton Saints), Jonathan Davies (ASM Clermont Auvergne), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Liam Williams (Scarlets), Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Webb (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Luke Charteris (Racing Metro), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Ospreys), Sam Warburton (Cardiff Blues, CAPT), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Replacements: Richard Hibbard (Gloucester), Rob Evans (Scarlets), Aaron Jarvis (Ospreys), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Scott Williams (Scarlets).
21 replies on “Six Nations 2015: Wales names team to play Ireland”
Let them field whoever they like – I’m not worried. The millennium is a second home for us. Wales are usually very accommodating.
DDD
Oooh Denny that’s a serious statement! I don’t think Ireland will have it all there own way as in 2013. But you are right in a way – it doesn’t matter who Wales field, its more about who Ireland field. And who stays on the field and if Sexton limps out early its going to be game on.
That being said Cardiff is always a very accommodating city to the travelling Irish fans win, lose or draw… 2005 and 2011 were great nights in the capital.
Oh dear Denny talk about total and utter arrogance.
Please remind us now how many Grand Slams Ireland have won in the last 65 years?
Fewer than every other 5n/6n team other than Italy!
People ….. glass houses…… bricks.
Hang on Enoch. Surely it is the English who are arrogant?
I understood it was “confidence” when applied to all other nationalities???
Blub,
If you watch the Goebbels-style coverage that the publically funded BBC always gives the England team, ever year match in and match out then you’d know where the ‘arrogance’ claim comes from.
I thought Inverdale was going to ejaculate in his pants the way he proclaimed the England team as they marched out to defeat in Dublin last week.
And of course England marched out wearing the VC emblazoned on their shirts coz the VC is an English-only military award!
No-one else has ever been awarded a VC so it is ‘English’ by right.
Goebbels?
I undertood that when you wrote;
“…talk about total and utter arrogance.
Please remind us now how many Grand Slams Ireland have won in the last 65 years?”
you were referring specifically to DDD, and inferred a general reference to Irish rugby.
I misunderstood the hidden reference to a gaffe-prone BBC journalist (English, not Irish) and a dead Nazi. Well beyond my simple comprehension.
That would be 2 Enoch FYI But something tells me you knew that already ;-)!!!
Think the Glass houses thing is a bit misplaced as Wales have 11 so we are historically much worse and there are few similarities. Just as well I’m looking forward!
Still not worried
DDD
PS – only posted the earlier comment because it was coming up to lunch and I thought I’d put Brighty of his M&S prawn salad!!
Try the maths again……. 2014 subtract 65 so I think the answer is actually 1.
Haha, very cheeky!
How very Gatlandesque of you!
DDD
This is bad 1.33 and only one and a half bites!
DDD
I’ve been busy … I agree with Lukov. You can have all of those wins, nothing will compare to 2005 🙂
I can’t see us winning this weekend either. I think it’ll be closer than some of the recent hapless displays but think Ireland will have enough to get ahead no matter what style of rugby is played. We’ll have to rely on a last weekend plucky Scottish display to keep the score at 11-2.
I think they’ll need more than pluck, Brighty.
Thinking about it, grammatically they’ll need something slightly less than pluck…
Hardly confident going into this match from a Welsh perspective, not just based on Ireland’s current form, but just recent history between these sides.
Since 2000 in the Six Nations, it’s either been a tight game where either team could have won it (think 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012) or the Irish demolish us (think 2001, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2013, 2014). There’s only been one exception – 2005 – but that was a bit of a special game anyway.
Very menacing record Ireland have against us, home and away, very menacing (if not necessarily spectacular) form coming into the game.
I wonder, has there ever been a team in the Five/Six Nations that lost all their home games, but won all their away fixtures (assuming Wales are more than a match for Italy next weekend)?
Wales 13 and over .Reason -Gatland has been Super Rugby and decided to get the ball into the backline more.
Would have started Warburton at 6, with Tipuric at 7 and Lydiate on the bench. England let Sexton kick at them and we paid for it. I think a good, quick 7 constantly niggling at him, putting pressure on kicks and generally trying to put him in their pocket is Wales best chance against Ireland.
If they can do that well, build a lead and make Ireland chase the game, then you have Lydiate to come off the bench to tackle his heart out.
Is phillips on the bench for a reason? like training injury or something?
He’s not as good as Webb, that’s the simple reason.
I dunno I don’t think he is necessarily better either but i think he would be better suited against Ireland.
I think Phillips is one of the main reasons Wales have looked poor in the final quarter and I am still baffled that he consistently selected as a replacement let alone a starter.
Gareth Davies was out with a pretty long term injury and has only had a few games since.