Ireland edge past Wales in historic first Friday Night Lights Six Nations clash in Dublin

IRELAND kept their Triple Crown dreams alive thanks to a hard fought 27-17 victory over a gritty Wales side in the first ever Guinness Six Nations Championship match to take place on a Friday in Dublin.

Ireland, who were claiming their third win in four Six Nations fixtures this season, have now won each of their last five fixtures against Wales and seven of the last 10 meetings between the sides.

Wales have not won at the Aviva Stadium for 14 years, since their 23-21 success in 2012. Indeed, Wales have not recorded a victory in the Six Nations championship since 2023 when they recorded a 29-17 win in Italy, and they have lost 23 of their 25 Tests since.

However on the evidence of this improved showing in Dublin, the Wales do not appear too far away from recording a much-needed victory in the competition.

Two weeks on from dismantling England in ruthless fashion, Ireland were prevented from producing another statement performance by a hard-hitting Wales team.

Andy Farrell's Ireland side dug deep to pick up the five points they needed, with tries from Jacob Stockdale, Jack Crowley, Jack Conan and Jamie Osborne securing victory in the 137th meeting between the sides since 1882.

Jamison Gibson-Park, a debutant against Italy back in October 2020 won his 50th cap in the green jersey, while Ulster scrum-half Nathan Doak made his Ireland debut off the bench in the game.

Munster centre Tom Farrell and Ulster hooker Tom Stewart also made their first Six Nations appearances.

On a perfect night for rugby, it didn't take long for Ireland to hit the front. Stuart McCloskey, Caelan Doris and Bob Baloucoune were prominant early in the sixth minute move which eventually saw centre McCloskey tee up his Ulster team mate Jacob Stockdale for the opening try of the game. It was winger Stockdale's first try in the green of Ireland for five years. 

Out-half Jack Crowley duly added the extras for 7-0.

The home side thought they were over for a second try five minutes later when Jack Conan barged over from close range after Ireland racked up a dozen phases of possession.

However, the score was chalked off after prop Tom O'Toole was judged to have knocked the ball on at a ruck in the lead-up.

Wales took advantage of the ket-off when out-half Dan Edwards slotted a 16th minute penalty goal to reduce the home side's advantage to just four points. 

After Ireland responded well, looking threatening with ball in hand, Wales broke upfield and forced a couple of penalties deep inside the Ireland '22.

From one tap and go award, with Ireland on a warning, Wales looked to barrell they way over the home side's tryline from close range. However, prop Rhys Carre was judged to have been held up over the tryline and Ireland relieved the pressure with a goal-line drop out.

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Ireland crossed for a crucial second try a few minutes before half-time when out-half Jack Crowley spotted a gap in the Welsh defence and darted over after the home side had been initially denied by some lion-hearted Welsh defence.

Crowley failed to covert his own score, but Ireland were two scores to the good at 12-3.

The complexion of the game after the opening half changed in stoppage time as Wales prop Rhys Carre showed a clean pair of heels to the Irish defence to score an excellent individual try. 

Edwards successful conversion left Ireland leading by just two points at the half-time break, 12-10.

Ireland need a fast start to the second half in order to regain the momentumm and it duly arrived within four minutes of thr restart as Jack Conan drove over the Wales tryline from close range.

Crowley's successful conversion pushed Ireland two scores to the good once again. 

However, Wales were far from done and a James Botham try at the start of the final quarter, which Edwards also converted left just two ponts between the sides at 19-17.

It was very much a case of game-on at that stage. 

Ireland got a break when a kick bounced kindly and fell into the hands of Joe McCarthy, whose grubber kick brought Ireland deep inside Welsh territory.

The influential Crowley pulled the Irish attack down the blind side, and quick hands from Stockdale and Conan saw Gibson-Park get within inches of the line, before Ireland pulled it back to the openside for Osborne to score the bonus-point try.

Crowley missed the straight forward conversion attempt. Wales lost a player to the sin-bin as Tomos Williams was yellow-carded in the build-up to the try.

Crowley was on target from the kicking tee when converting a late penalty to ease Ireland to a 10-point success.

Ireland have now won 60 meetings between the sides, while Wales have tasted success on 70 occasions and there have been seven draws, the last of which came in 2016.

SCORERS: Ireland: Jack Crowley try, pen, two cons, Jacob Stockdale, Jack Conan, Jamie Osborne try each. Wales: Rhys Carre, James Botham try each, Dan Edwards pen, two cons.

IRELAND: Jamie Osborne; Rob Baloucoune, Garry Ringrose, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Jack Crowley, Jamison Gibson-Park; Tom O'Toole, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong; James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne; Jack Conan, Nick Timoney, Caelan Doris (capt). Replacements: Nathan Doak for Gibson Park (temp, 23-32 mins, 75 mins), Thomas Clarkson for Furlong, Josh van der Flier for Timoney, Joe McCarthy for Ryan (all 60 mins), Michae Milne for O'Toole, Tom Stewart for Kelleher (both 64 mins), Tom Farrell for Ringrose, Ciarán Frawley for Stockdale (both 69 mins). 

WALES: Louis Rees-Zammit; Ellis Mee, Eddie James, Joe Hawkins, Josh Adams; Dan Edwards, Tomos Williams; Rhys Carre, Dewi Lake (capt), Tomas Francis; Dafydd Jenkins, Ben Carter; Alex Mann, James Botham, Aaron Wainwright. Replacements: Olly Cracknell for Wainwright, Nicky Smith for Carre (both 45 mins), Ryan Elias for Lake, Archie Griffin for Francis (both 56 mins), Adam Beard for Carter (57 mins), Louie Hennessy for Mee (69 mins).

REFEREE: Karl Dickson (RFU)