Wales v Ireland: Team news, predictions, odds & TV

Wales host Ireland in the RBS 6 Nations on Friday March 10, kick off 8005 GMT at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff and is screened live on BBC One.

Here is our preview pack, which includes the team news, quotes from coaches, key facts, the latest Sky Bet odds and the thoughts of our Steve Bramley to help you with your bets. You can also click here for all the Six Nations fixtures, results, standings, TV guide, team-by-team standings and historical statistics. 

Wales v Ireland: Team news

Wales boss Rob Howley has named an unchanged team for Friday's RBS 6 Nations clash against Ireland in Cardiff. Howley keeps faith with the team beaten 29-13 by Scotland at Murrayfield. Openside flanker Justin Tipuric will win his 50th cap, packing down alongside back-row colleagues Sam Warburton and Ross Moriarty. Bath forwards Taulupe Faletau and Luke Charteris again feature among the replacements.

Ireland have also named an unchanged starting XV for Ireland's Six Nations trip to Wales with Garry Ringrose retained at outside centre.

Ringrose holds onto the No 13 shirt despite Jared Payne's return from injury, with the Ulsterman not even named in the match-day squad.

Rob Kearney continues at full-back after recovering from a groin injury while Johnny Sexton starts back-to-back Tests for the first time since last year's Six Nations. The only change from the team that beat France in Dublin comes on the bench where Tommy Bowe replaces injured Andrew Trimble.

Teams

Wales:  L Halfpenny (Toulon); G North (Northampton), J Davies (Scarlets), S Williams (Scarlets), L Williams (Scarlets); D Biggar (Ospreys), R Webb (Ospreys); R Evans (Scarlets), K Owens (Scarlets), T Francis (Exeter), J Ball (Scarlets), A W Jones (Ospreys, capt), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues), J Tipuric (Ospreys), R Moriarty (Gloucester).

Replacements: S Baldwin (Ospreys), N Smith (Ospreys), S Lee (Scarlets), L Charteris (Bath), T Faletau (Bath), G Davies (Scarlets), S Davies (Ospreys), J Roberts (Harlequins).  

Ireland:  R Kearney (Leinster); K Earls (Munster), G Ringrose, R Henshaw (both Leinster), S Zebo (Munster); J Sexton (Leinster), C Murray (Munster); J McGrath (Leinster), R Best (Ulster, capt), T Furlong (Leinster), D Ryan (Munster), D Toner (Leinster), CJ Stander (Munster), S O'Brien, J Heaslip (both Leinster).

Replacements:N Scannell (Munster), C Healy (Leinster), J Ryan (Munster), I Henderson (Ulster), P O'Mahony (Munster), K Marmion (Connacht), P Jackson, T Bowe (both Ulster).  

Wales v Ireland: Odds & advice

Ireland are Sky Bet's 8/13 favourites to record their first win in three meetings with Wales, who are 11/8 shots to record consecutive home victories over Joe Schmidt's title challengers. The last time the teams met in Cardiff Wales edged it 23-16 and the hosts can be backed at 13/2 to win by a 6-10 margin, while Ireland are available at 13/8 to win by 1-12 points on the alternative margin. Last year the sides shared a 16-16 draw in Dublin and a repeat of that outcome is available at 22/1. Wales winger George North is 12/1 to be first tryscorer with Ireland's Keith Earls a 9/1 shot to cross first and 2/1 anytime. North can also be backed at 7/1 to score anytime in a Wales win at an enhanced 7/1.

Click here to check out all of Sky Bet's Wales v Ireland odds!

Steve Bramley's verdict:   Underdogs Wales will be desperate to avoid suffering defeat at the hands of all the Home Nations for the first time in 14 years when they host title hopefuls Ireland on Friday night.   

Scotland produced a brilliant second-half display to inflict a first win in a decade over Wales at Murrayfield a fortnight ago to end the Dragons’ own Six Nations title hopes.   

There’s little doubt that Wales will still be hurting from that setback and will be determined to save face against an Ireland side who have recorded back-to-back victories over Italy and most recently France.   

But even with their pride damaged this will be a tricky test for Wales who have current form and history very much against them.   

Wales won the last meeting at the Principality Stadium 23-16 but Ireland have dominated this fixture, winning and incredible 11 of 15 matches in Cardiff since 1983 to warrant favouritism at a best price of 7/10 (Bwin/Sportingbet).   

Another Irish victory could set up a potential title decider with England in Dublin on Saturday week, but defeat and Ireland’s chances, barring an upset at Twickenham this weekend, are almost done.   

Ireland, with Conor Murray and Johnny Sexton back in tandem, rarely looked troubled in seeing off France in Dublin last time out and seem to be growing in confidence as the tournament hits the business end.   

Wales, in contrast, can’t seem to string together a full 80 minutes of decent rugby.    They were dreadful in Rome in the first half but bounced back to win comfortably. They then impressed against England before looking all at sea in the second-half in Scotland, having led 13-9 at the break.   

Howley has kept faith with the same side that capitulated in Edinburgh and as such I expect a real reaction from the hosts and, at 11/8 (various) on a Wales win, it’s definitely worth an investment.   

George North has a point to prove after a poor game against the Scots and the Lions’ wing is a tempting 7/1 (Sky Bet) to score anytime in a home win.   But my interest is with Wales flier Liam Williams who continues to impress.    

Williams has scored in all three matches so far this championship and is tempting to score the first home try at 7/1 (Sky Bet).   

For Ireland, it is Murray who appeals. He scored a try in the drawn clash in Dublin last season and crossed in with win against France and, at 10/1 for the first away try, looks great value to deliver again.    Sky Bet also offer a RequestABet for Murray or L Williams to score first at 7/1.  

Recommendation: Wales to beat Ireland - 11/8

Check out Tony Calvin's Six Nations betting preview 

Wales v Ireland: Key quotes

Wales coach Rob Howley on his decision to name the same side that slumped to defeat at Murrayfield:  "As coaches, we discussed giving the opportunity to the side to redeem themselves for the second-half performance against Scotland.

"There is an opportunity to go out at home in front of our own supporters and deliver a performance which the players are proud of and for the supporters to support that. It will be a huge game." 

Sam Warburton on whether Wales have points to prove: "We've seen it in the past where we have let ourselves down, gone back out the week after and produced a positive reaction. I am sure the coaches and players are expecting that to happen again.

"We have points to prove. The second-half performance against Scotland was not up to scratch. There are quite a few things to put right there, and as a team we have got the opportunity to do that. When we actually look at the games (England and Scotland), if we were getting completely outplayed, I would be a little bit worried. But when we look back - and the players have spoken about it - it has been individual errors that have let us down in certain moments of matches.

"We are talking about the last 15 minutes against England and perhaps the first 15 minutes of the second half versus Scotland. They are easy fixes, and we're hoping (against Ireland) we will be a lot more disciplined, which will hopefully help us through."

Ireland coach Joe Schmidt rubbished talk his side would look to expose George North's defensive frailties following his poor performance in the defeat by the Scots.  "If you've seen the size, the strength, the speed and the agility of such a big man, why would you go looking for George North? 

"I know it doesn't leave you a lot of options, because Jonathan Davies and Scott Williams are no shrinking violets either, and Liam Williams was an absolute superstar against New Zealand.

"They do have a lot of threats across the board and I don't think we're wilfully going to go looking for George North to see if his defensive game is up to it because we've seen him do incredibly well defensively. 

Rory Best on the closed roof: "I suppose that we know what the atmosphere in a Wales-Ireland game here is like anyway. We've played here at the World Cup with the roof closed, so we know how loud it's going to get, the France game was very loud and the quarter-final particularly.

"I suppose you'll not know until 10:30 tomorrow night whether we were right to agree to have the roof closed or not, but I keep going back to the fact that we want to play in as close to perfect conditions as you can get. And closing the roof gives the guarantee of no rain. So we felt there were elements of our play against France compromised a bit by the weather. That's the logic behind closing the roof and we are comfortable with that.

"And we are also aware of how loud it's going to be. But roof open or closed this is one of the loudest stadiums around anyway. There was a bit of rain forecast and Joe asked myself and Johnny (Sexton) first. And when you ask kickers and throwers if they want to take the weather out of the equation, I wouldn't say it was an easy decision, but that was the real reason for us as players."

Best on adopting hand signals when the crowd hits its decibel peak: "We have a plan in place to adapt if we can't hear each other. But ultimately we feel we can communicate with each other. We can adapt one way or the other. Even at the Aviva Stadium when it gets really loud it's hard to hear each other. And when you get through 10 to 12 phases it's really hard to speak sometimes. So sometimes communication goes out the window anyway, and you have to rely on instinct, and how well you know the person beside you. When you come to the Principality Stadium you know it's going to be loud regardless of the roof.

"Open or closed it's going to be really, really loud. It's probably one of the best stadiums in the world, because the atmosphere is just electric. And on a Friday night I'm sure it will be as good if not better than anything we've experienced."

Wales v Ireland: Opta Facts

Wales won the last time they hosted Ireland in the Six Nations (2015) but have not won consecutive home games against the Irish in the competition since a run of eight wins on the bounce between 1969 and 1983; since then they’ve won just three of 15 in Cardiff against Ireland (D1, L11). 

Wales have lost to England and Scotland in the competition this year but have not lost to all the home nations in a single campaign since 2003; they’ve lost to England, Ireland and Scotland in the same year 12 times previously. 

Rob Howley’s side were defeated in their last home game, but have not lost consecutive games in Cardiff since a run of five losses on the bounce from November 2012 to February 2013. 

Ireland need 17 points to reach 500 in the Six Nations under Joe Schmidt in what will be his 19th game, just five coaches have seen their side manage this during their tenure and only one will have done it in fewer games (Woodward – 13, Laporte – 19, O’Sullivan – 20, Gatland (Wales) – 22 & Kidney – 25). 

All four of the tries Ireland have conceded in this year’s Six Nations have come in the first half; they are the only side yet to concede a second half try so far. 

Seven of Ireland’s 13 tries this year have come after 7+ phases, more than any other side, while Wales are the only side yet to score after 7+ phases. 

Johnny Sexton is one point away from becoming the seventh player to reach 300 points in the Five/Six Nations and the second Irishman after Ronan O’Gara (557); Wales’ Leigh Halfpenny (314) reached this landmark against England. 

Liam Williams has scored a try in each of Wales’ Six Nations games so far this year, the last player to score in the first four rounds of a Six Nations campaign was Wesley Fofana in 2012, while only Philippe Bernat-Salles has scored in all five games in a single tournament (since 2000). 

Williams has made more clean breaks than any other player in the tournament this season (7) and is one of five players leading the try scoring charts after the opening three games (3). 

Ireland have slotted their last 16 kicks at goal in the Six Nations with Paddy Jackson making his last 13 in a row while Johnny Sexton has landed his three attempts off the tee so far.

Wales v Ireland: Last four meetings

2016:  Ireland 16-16 Wales, Dublin

2015:  Wales 23-16 Ireland, Cardiff

2014: Ireland 26-3 Wales, Dublin

2013: Wales 22-30 Ireland, Cardiff

Wales v Ireland: Six Nations so far

Round One

Scotland 27-22 Ireland (Murrayfield)
Italy 7-33 Wales (Stadio Olimico) 

Round Two

Wales 16-21 England (Principality Stadium)
France 22-16 Scotland (Stade de France)  

Round Three

Scotland 29-13 Wales (Murrayfield)

Ireland 19-9 France (Aviva Stadium)