| Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Saturday, 4 February Kick-off: 14:15 GMT |
| Coverage: Watch live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and online from 13:15 GMT; listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru & BBC Radio Ulster; text commentary on BBC Sport website and app. |
After weeks of negative headlines that have engulfed the sport, Wales face Ireland on Saturday in a fascinating Six Nations opening match.
The Welsh have turned to former head coach Warren Gatland to help them rediscover their form after winning just three of their 12 games in 2022.
Andy Farrell’s Ireland won a series in New Zealand last summer and are the number one ranked side in the world.
Expectations are high that they can win a first Six Nations since 2018.
However, Ireland have not won in Cardiff in the Six Nations since 2013.
Team news
Wales full-back Liam Williams comes in as a late replacement for Leigh Halfpenny, who suffered a back spasm in training. Hooker Ken Owens captains his country for the first time on his 87th cap and is one of only two forwards not from the Ospreys. Centre Joe Hawkins makes his championship debut.
Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong has been ruled out having been troubled by ankle and calf injuries and is replaced by Finlay Bealham. With Robbie Henshaw still out, centre Stuart McCloskey retains his place, with Bundee Aki named on the bench. Veteran captain Johnny Sexton is fit after fracturing his cheekbone on New Year’s Day.
Commentator’s notes
Andrew Cotter: How big is the Warren effect? We’ll get a reliable indicator since this Wales team is almost the same 15 that started for Wayne Pivac in the dramatic defeat against Australia in November.
Faith remains in some great players who are deep into their thirties, such as Ken Owens, Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric, but mixed in with the next generation in centre Joe Hawkins, wing Rio Dyer and the outstanding flanker Jac Morgan.
Ireland are certainly favourites. They are ranked the best in the world, built upon a Leinster side who are sweeping all before them this season.
And yet… Tadhg Furlong is a big miss at tight-head prop and this fixture in the Six Nations hasn’t been won by the away side in 10 years. There is reason enough for Ireland to doubt and Wales to hope.
View from both camps
Wales head coach Warren Gatland: “The way that these guys have been this week, I am confident that they’ll go out there and demonstrate how much it means for them to put their red jersey on and how much it means for them to play for Wales.
“I think it’s important we go out there and give a performance. I’m comfortable with losing if we get beaten by a better side.”
Ireland head coach Andy Farrell on the stadium roof being closed: “It’s a fantastic stadium. We’ve been there before when it’s closed and there’s no atmosphere like it. It’s fantastic. It can only be good for us.
“We have to agree with the roof being closed. We wanted it closed as well to sample the atmosphere and keep progressing on our journey.”
Line-ups
Wales: 15-Liam Williams; 14-Josh Adams, 13-George North, 12-Joe Hawkins, 11-Rio Dyer; 10-Dan Biggar, 9-Tomos Williams; 1-Gareth Thomas, 2-Ken Owens, 3-Tomas Francis, 4-Adam Beard, 5-Alun Wyn Jones, 6-Jac Morgan, 7-Justin Tipuric, 8-Taulupe Faletau
Replacements: 16-Scott Baldwin, 17-Rhys Carre, 18-Dillon Lewis, 19-Dafydd Jenkins 20-Tommy Reffell, 21-Rhys Webb, 22-Owen Williams, 23-Alex Cuthbert
Ireland: 15-Hugo Keenan; 14-Mack Hansen, 13-Garry Ringrose, 12-Stuart McCloskey, 11-James Lowe; 10-Johnny Sexton (capt), 9-Jamison Gibson-Park; 1-Andrew Porter, 2-Dan Sheehan, 3-Finlay Bealham, 4-Tadhg Beirne, 5-James Ryan, 6-Peter O’Mahony, 7-Josh van der Flier, 8-Caelan Doris
Replacements: 16-Rob Herring, 17-Cian Healy, 18-Tom O’Toole, 19-Iain Henderson, 20-Jack Conan, 21-Conor Murray, 22-Ross Byrne, 23-Bundee Aki
Match facts
Head-to-head
- Ireland have won five out of the last six meetings in all competitions.
- The away team has not won any of the last nine Six Nations meetings, with each nation winning four games with one draw. The last time the away side won in this fixture came in Cardiff in 2013, when Ireland emerged victorious 30-22.
Wales
- Wales lost nine of their 12 Tests in 2022.
- They scored the fewest (12) and conceded the most points (40) of any side in the first 20 minutes of games in last year’s Championship. Conversely, they scored the second most (31) and conceded the joint-second fewest points (13) of any team in the last 20 minutes of matches.
- Across all Tests in 2022 they won the fewest turnovers (4.3) and stole the fewest opposition lineouts (0.3) of any Tier One nation.
Ireland
- They won nine of their 11 Tests in 2022.
- They’ve lost just one of their last eight 6N games and have won their last three by margins of 17 or more points, scoring four or more tries in each of those fixtures and conceding just one in total.
- The 24 tries they scored in last year’s 6N was seven more than any other side and 16 more than Wales, while the four they conceded was also the fewest of any team.
Match officials
Referee: Karl Dickson (ENG)
Touch judges: Angus Gardner (AUS) & Luke Pearce (ENG)
TMO: Tom Foley (ENG)
