Wales v Ireland: Six Nations predictions, where to watch and free tips

Free rugby tips, best bets and analysis for Wales v Ireland in the Six Nations.

Where to watch

BBC1, S4C & Virgin Media One, 3pm

Best bet

Ireland -4
2pts Evs general

Match preview

Ireland have not won at the Principality Stadium in the Six Nations since 2013, but this trip to Cardiff could have fallen just right for them - just as it did eight years ago.

Wales were defending Six Nations champions that year but were on a run of seven straight defeats since sealing the title and there were questions over the coaching set-up with Rob Howley taking the reins while Warren Gatland was busy with the Lions.

That's not a million miles from where they are now. They managed just three victories from ten games in 2020 - against Georgia and Italy twice - while Gatland is now gone for good and replacement Wayne Pivac is yet to win over the fans.

Former Scarlets boss Pivac promised a more open, free-scoring style after more than a decade of Warrenball but there seemed to be a lot of uncertainty in the Welsh game last year even with the same crop of players who had seen such success in previous years.

It's hard to believe that won't right itself but time has been short and circumstances have been difficult to turn things around for the opening round of the Six Nations.

Ireland have a few questions to answer after their first year under new coach Andy Farrell, in which they finished third in the Six Nations and suffered two defeats to England and another to France.

But they rounded off the year with a solid 31-16 home success over Scotland, their fourth win by more than 12 points, and with home games against France and England, the top two teams in the betting, ahead of them, all the players will be aware of the huge opportunity that will be presented to them if they can get off to a winning start.

Ireland did win a World Cup warm-up game in Cardiff in 2019, the first of four consecutive victories culminating in last November's convincing 32-9 Autumn Nations Cup victory in Dublin.

There will be no passionate and vocal Welsh crowd in the stadium, and while that may not be much of a negative for Wales it will surely take out a huge part of the fear factor for the visitors and give them just another reason to be confident.

Wales are without winger Josh Adams, top tryscorer at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, but the exciting Louis Rees-Zammit does line up with George North in the centre so there is plenty of cutting edge in the Wales backline if they can get their game together.

But Ireland have a team showing plenty of continuity, with Conor Murray and Jonathan Sexton combining in the half-back slot, CJ Stander moving to number eight for the injured Caelan Doris and New Zealand-born winger James Lowe fit again after earning his first caps last autumn.

Ireland have been backed through the week for a winning start and that faith looks well placed.

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