Ireland 27-17 Wales
Wales give Ireland a fright before hosts hang on
The pre-match predictions that Ireland would win with a bonus and Wales would get nothing tangible from it were wholly correct. Never, however, has so much been lost in the nuts and bolts of the sums adding up.
Wales were magnificent, good enough to reduce the home team and a raucous full house to sweaty souls praying for the final bell. When it came it had become a two-score game. The fear factor had subsided a few minutes earlier, but only when Jack Crowley managed to kick a handy penalty, though at this level there are not many kicks in that category for him.
Ireland had to work flat out to get the numbers right. In the end a dodgy looking pass from Jacob Stockdale – his first looked forward, his second was class – featured in Jamie Osborne’s touchdown to finally put Wales away. Or almost – Crowley’s missed conversion kept them in sight of a draw before he shut the window with his final kick.
