Leigh Halfpenny (Pic: Getty)
Wales piled fresh misery on Ireland just four months after knocking them out of the World Cup by claiming a dramatic and controversial RBS 6 Nations victory.
Full-back Leigh Halfpenny kicked an 80th-minute penalty after Ireland flanker Stephen Ferris was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle on Wales lock Ian Evans.
It appeared a harsh call by English referee Wayne Barnes, with the offence nowhere near as bad as Bradley Davies’ tackle which earlier upended Irish replacement Donnacha Ryan.
Davies received a yellow card, when it should have been red. Halfpenny held his nerve to give Wales a rare Six Nations win in Dublin as boos rang around the Aviva Stadium, his strike following earlier tries by centre Jonathan Davies (2) and wing George North.
Ice-cool Cardiff Blues star Leigh Halfpenny landed another penalty and conversion after taking over the duties from an out-of-sorts Rhys Priestland, who missed two penalty sitters.
Priestland’s opposite number Jonathan Sexton slotted three penalties and a conversion, while hooker Rory Best and wing Tommy Bowe scored tries in a game when the lead changed hands five times.
But Ireland’s Grand Slam, Triple Crown and probable title hopes were ultimately shredded by a Wales team whose last Six Nations win on Dublin soil came during a Grand Slam title-winning season in 2008.
They could, though, be without captain Sam Warburton against Scotland next weekend after he went off at half-time nursing a leg injury.
Ireland, winners of their opening Six Nations fixture on seven previous occasions, handed Fergus McFadden the number 13 shirt vacated by revered leader Brian O’Driscoll, who will miss this season’s tournament as he recovers from shoulder surgery.
Wales fielded 10 of the side that ended Ireland’s World Cup hopes last October, with Priestland and centre Jamie Roberts both recovering from knee problems, but injuries sidelined forwards Dan Lydiate, Gethin Jenkins, Alun-Wyn Jones and Luke Charteris. Ireland took the lead through a third-minute Sexton penalty, but Wales responded in determined fashion as Bradley Davies and then North were only denied tries by some last-ditch tackling.
Wales kept battering away, and flanker Ryan Jones stretched over Ireland’s line only for television match official Geoff Warren to rule against the visitors following repeated views from a number of angles.
Warren was called upon again just six minutes later, only this time it was a far easier call after Priestland’s one-handed pass found Jonathan Davies, who touched down in the corner despite a Gordon D’Arcy challenge.
Davies scored the try which sealed Wales’ World Cup win in Wellington, and his latest touchdown successfully rounded off a spell of concerted Wales pressure, handing them a 5-3 advantage after Priestland’s conversion attempt hit the post.
Priestland, though, was guilty of a glaring miss as
500 Word Extract from Original Article Only...
Article From Publicly Accessible RSS Newsfeed - Displayed for Rugby Rules Context : View Full Original Article Here
