Rugby story by Gareth Bowman, Tue, 28 Feb 2006 06:24:00 GMT


Ireland overcame a listless Wales team 31-5 in the RBS Six Nations Championship match played at Lansdowne Road yesterday. Wales have not been in the best frame of mind, what with the troubles over coach Mike Ruddock's shock resignation and allegations that some players were unable to adjust with him. But that did not appear to bother the Welsh initially as they surged ahead thanks to a Mark Jones try.

Sadly, that was to be their last effort at troubling the scorers as they lost the plot thereafter and the Irish took charge on a day when everything they tried came off beautifully. David Wallace scored a try and Ronan O'Gara put in two penalties to give Ireland an 11-5 lead at halftime. Shane Horgan eased Irish nerves with an early second half try and scrum-half Peter Stringer got in another towards the fag end of the game. Wales were hardly in the match in the second half and it must be heart-breaking for the defending champions.

Gavin Henson, who played after missing the first two matches due to suspension blamed himself for the defeat, "When Stephen was on the pitch we were playing pretty well. We were in the lead when I came on," he said. "If Steve had stayed on we probably would have won the game. I've probably let myself down, let the players down - although they might not say it." Henson claimed he was feeling suicidal. But caretaker coach Scott Johnson said the other players were behind Henson and said that the blame was collective. "Look, we don't make excuses and while I'm at the helm there will be no excuses," he said. "I thought the first 20 minutes we showed good intent and good completion of skills, but the loss of Stephen Jones compounded that somewhat."

Match Details
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (SA).

Ireland: Murphy; Horgan, B O'Driscoll (capt), D'Arcy, Trimble; O'Gara, Stringer; Horan, Flannery, Hayes; O'Callaghan, O'Kelly; S Easterby, Wallace, Leamy.
Substitutes: R Best for Horan (69), M O'Driscoll for Easterby (77), O'Connor for Wallace (75).

Wales: Byrne; M Jones, Luscombe, Watkins, James; S Jones, Peel; D Jones, R Thomas, A Jones; Gough, Sidoli; Charvis, M Williams, Owen (capt).
Substitutes: B Davies for Byrne (73), Henson for S Jones (19), Jenkins for D Jones (46), M Davies for R Thomas (61), Delve for Charvis (56).

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