Ireland crushes Wales to heap pressure on Pivac
Wales slipped to its sixth successive defeat on Saturday (AEDT) as Ireland ran out a convincing 32-9 winner in the opening Autumn Nations Cup clash at AVIVA Stadium.
Ireland's New Zealand-born Test debutant James Lowe crowned an impressive performance by scoring the home side's final try in the dying seconds of a largely scrappy match held behind closed doors in Dublin.
Defeat will pile the pressure on Wales coach Wayne Pivac, who replaced Warren Gatland after the Rugby World Cup last year with the side reigning 2019 Six Nations Grand Slam champion.
Although Johnny Sexton scored eight points to make him Ireland's highest scorer against Wales, his 100th Test appearance ended early as he limped off clutching his leg.
Coronavirus had overshadowed the tournament earlier in the day with the cancellation of Monday's (AEDT) match between France and Fiji because of an outbreak of the virus in the Fiji camp.
Sexton opened the scoring with a penalty in the 11th minute.
The hosts had Wales under immense pressure – especially in the scrum – but the visitors managed to keep them out with Ireland lock James Ryan being penalised as he tried to force his way over.
Ireland normally prides itself on its discipline but referee Mathieu Raynal was none too impressed and penalised the hosts regularly.
Leigh Halfpenny took advantage of one of those indiscretions to level the scores in the 18th minute.
However, the home side finally seized a try scoring opportunity as Quinn Roux, who had only been drafted into the starting line up on Friday after Iain Henderson was declared unfit, went over for his third try for his country.
Sexton converted for 10-3 and added another penalty shortly afterwards for 13-3 approaching half an hour of the match.
That was the last contribution from the 35-year-old playmaker as he limped off grimacing and was replaced by debutant Billy Burns, whose brother Freddie played five times for England.
Halfpenny reduced the deficit with a long range penalty, but Burns restored the 10-point lead with one of his own after Wales prop Rhys Carre was again penalised in the scrum.
Carre was put out of his agony when Wayne Pivac hooked him with a minute remaining of the first-half ahead of a crucial five-metre scrum in the Wales 22.
The visitors successfully came through that to trail by just 10 at the break.
Halfpenny added a penalty 10 minutes into the second-half for 16-9, Ireland having started the half in loose fashion.
The hosts gathered themselves and parked themselves in the Wales 22 but first Taulupe Faletau and then a turnover prevented potential tries.
They did not come away totally empty-handed as Burns added a penalty for 19-9.
Ireland lost Burns just after the hour mark when he took a knock and his replacement Conor Murray slotted over a penalty to bring a smile more of relief to the watching Sexton's lips.
Murray added another penalty shortly afterwards as the game drifted away from Wales.
The coup de grace was delivered on the bell as Lowe crashed over from a close-range scrum move, Murray converting to give Ireland its 19th win in its past 20 home Tests.
