Bonus Point Reward For Fast-Starting Ireland

Andrew Conway’s second half brace of tries guided Ireland to a well-judged 29-7 bonus point win over Wales in the opening round of the Guinness Six Nations.

Match Photo Gallery: Ireland 29 Wales 7

The injury-hit Welsh trailed 10-0 at half-time, a capacity Aviva Stadium crowd lapping up Bundee Aki’s second-minute try and Mack Hansen’s impressive debut on the wing.

Hansen’s impact earned him the player-of-the-match medal, Ireland captain Jonathan Sexton passed 500 points in the Championship, and Garry Ringrose bagged the bonus point with a classy run-in at the South Stand.

Taine Basham, Wales’ best player on the day, ran in a late intercept score, but it failed to take the shine off a controlled and efficient four-try performance from Andy Farrell’s men.

Having started their 2022 campaign on a strong footing, Paris awaits next week for Ireland and a mouth-watering showdown with a highly-fancied France who won the sides’ last two meetings.

Barely 70 seconds had elapsed in today’s Celtic clash when Hansen turned a deflected Sexton kick into a break up the left wing. The Test newcomer stole a march on Louis Rees-Zammit and threatened from his own chip and chase.

The deadlock was broken just moments later, Ireland attacking crisply off the lineout with Caelan Doris and Tadhg Furlong punching holes. Tadhg Beirne’s pull-back pass and a lofted Hansen delivery put Aki over in the left corner.

Sexton slotted over the difficult conversion before missing a 42-metre penalty, which Andrew Porter had done well to win at the breakdown.

The Ireland skipper slid a second penalty effort wide, following a Ringrose half-break, but Wales’ defensive workload continued to increase as the hosts sought to play at a high tempo.

Tighthead Furlong’s well-timed put Sexton through a gap, the momentum building for a three-pointer from the out-half at the start of the second quarter.

With the Irish lineout disrupted, Adam Beard slapped back the ball into Welsh hands but a subsequent choke tackle, led by Beirne and Sexton, soon saw Ireland win back possession.

The increasingly wet and windy conditions played their part in some scrappy phases, a spate of handling errors leading to a series of scrums. Wales were getting more ball to test the Irish defence.

The home side were unable to extend their lead, their highlights approaching the interval including a Jack Conan turnover penalty and Hugo Keenan’s one-handed offload that led to Hansen haring back into the Welsh 22.

Ireland were much more clinical during the third quarter, reeling off three tries as they took advantage of a Josh Adams yellow card.

Drawing closer on the back of Welsh penalties, the Irish maul was stopped short but some nifty work in midfield produced quick ball and Sexton fired it out to Conway who produced a top class finish in the right corner.

The Munster winger still had a huge amount to do, but he absorbed a tackle from Adams, stretched out and maintained control of the ball as he got it onto the line ahead of two fast-arriving defenders.

Following confirmation of the 43rd-minute score from TMO Stuart Terheege, Sexton’s clever use of the wind saw him bend the conversion over from the right touchline for a 17-0 lead.

Things got worse for Wales when centre Adams saw yellow, having caught Sexton high with his shoulder as he chased a Tomos Williams chip over the top.

Ireland were quick to capitalise, Conway and Josh van der Flier both being released during a fluid attack that ended with Jamison Gibson-Park scooping a long pass out for Conway to go over unopposed in the right corner.

Sexton judged the wind well again, adding the extras from out wide to make it 24 unanswered points, and Ireland went on to bag their bonus point on the hour mark.

Just before Adams’ return to the pitch, Porter’s rip in the tackle set up a pacy counter attack out to the right where nice hands from Hansen and Aki unleashed Ringrose from 35 metres out. He brilliantly burst in between Nick Tompkins and Liam Williams to score.

James Hume and Dan Sheehan came on for their Six Nations bows, the latter joining Aki in midfield with Ringrose moving out to the wing.

There was also a good chunk of game-time for Joey Carbery at out-half and Finlay Bealham at tighthead, with Peter O’Mahony making his presence felt at the breakdown and lineout time.

Wales dug in impressively to prevent an Irish maul try, as well as forcing an error off a tap penalty five metres out.

Some sloppiness crept into the game during the closing stages, Basham giving Wales a lift by swooping on Beirne’s attempted offload to score under the posts with six minutes left. Callum Sheedy converted.

Another try appeared to be within Ireland’s reach as Beirne broke menacingly towards the posts, but their execution let them down in the 22, an area for improvement in round two.

Young replacement Sheehan attacked off an overthrown Welsh lineout, and although Hansen was fed for another run out wide, a final knock-on left the winning margin at 22 points.