Wales v Ireland predictions and rugby union tips: Favourites Ireland face tricky test in opener

Where to watch

BBC One & S4C, 2.15pm Saturday

Best bet

Wales
2pts 5-2 Ladbrokes

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Match preview 

Ireland go into the Six Nations as title favourites and head coach Andy Farrell has said his team's preparations could not have been better, but they look set to face a huge test against a Wales side fired up by the return of Warren Gatland and renowned for giving their best when the pressure is on.

Wales had a 2022 to forget, winning just one Six Nations match and losing their final game at home to Italy, then slipping to three defeats in four autumn internationals including against tier-two Georgia.

It was enough to bring Wayne Pivac's tenure as head coach to an end, but it's hardly been all change at the top as Gatland is back for a second spell following a 12-year reign that brought four Six Nations titles, three Grand Slams and two World Cup semi-finals.

Pivac's term in charge did not lack success either - Wales were Six Nations winners in 2021 when they were written off as 33-1 shots having won just three games the year before, against Italy twice and against Georgia. Gatland's first Grand Slam came in his first year in charge, just months after Wales had crashed out of the 2007 Rugby World Cup in the pool stage.

Wales have won more titles and Grand Slams in the Six Nations era than Ireland, yet their win percentage of 55 is well below Ireland's 66. It underlines that Wales have been a hot-and-cold team, but all the ingredients are there for a hot performance in Cardiff on Saturday.

Ireland are ranked number one in the world thanks to their series success against New Zealand in the summer, and showed few weaknesses in the autumn. But this is a fixture in which Wales have held the upper hand, having won five of the last six meetings in Cardiff, covering the handicap and restricting Ireland to no more than one try on each occasion.

Gatland can call on plenty of old heads who have been at the heart of Welsh successes. Five of his starting line-up also started the title decider against England in 2013, while skipper Ken Owens was on the bench that day.

This has the makings of a tense and hard-fought encounter and with a passionate home crowd back behind them Wales can hit familiar heights.

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