Wales spoil O'Connell's Dublin farewell

Wales landed a psychological blow on World Cup contenders Ireland and spoilt Paul O'Connell's Dublin send-off with a dramatic 16-10 warm-up victory at Lansdowne Road on Saturday.

Having been swept aside 35-21 by Ireland in Cardiff just three weeks ago, Justin Tipuric's try and the boot of Leigh Halfpenny saw Wales defeat the Six Nations champions on home soil.

However, the victory came down to a last-gasp decision by video official Graham Hughes, who ruled Ireland hooker Sean Cronin was held up between the posts.

Aaron Jarvis and Leigh Halfpenny, who kicked 11 points, combined to deny Cronin in injury time to secure the win.

A first home defeat in 10 games, a run stretching back to November 2013, was hardly the send-off Ireland had hoped to give captain O'Connell in his last home Test before he retires from international duty after the World Cup in England, which starts next month.
Ireland were also left with a major injury concern regarding wing Keith Earls, taken off on a stretcher in the second half with a neck injury.

"It's very disappointing," O'Connell told Sky Sports.

"In a few months' time will be when I can look back on my international career –- not now.

"Ireland fans have been tremendous throughout my career and hopefully they can add to it during the World Cup."

Wales will be delighted to claim the scalp of a team second in the world rankings, especially as they have been drawn in a tough World Cup pool that includes the hosts and Australia.

Warren Gatland, the Wales coach, will have been pleased with the start made by new prop Tomas Francis, who began his Test debut with a series of strong displays in the scrums and by the fact that George North played the whole 80 minutes in his first game back after five months' out recovering from concussion.

Both Gatland and his fellow New Zealander Joe Schindt, the Ireland coach, are due to name their final 31-man World Cup squads next week.

"Everyone is nervous," said back-row forward Tipuric. "It is what you play for and everyone wants to be part of the World Cup squad."

- Solid set-piece -

On the back of a solid set-piece, Wales mounted a series of attacks and Ireland's usual discipline abandoned them.

Halfpenny opened the scoring with an 18th-minute penalty before Tipuric scored.

Lock forward O'Connell was warned by referee Craig Joubert as Ireland's penalty count mounted.

Welsh persistence was rewarded at a third line-out drive that ended with openside flanker Tipuric getting the crucial touch in the 25th minute for a try converted by Halfpenny.

Johnny Sexton clawed back three points moments later but it was not until the stroke of half-time that Ireland levelled the scores.

Wales appeared to have cleared the danger when the outstanding Tipurc claimed another turnover.

But his back-row colleague Taulupe Faletau lost possession.
Ireland's Peter O'Mahony made the initial burst and lock Iain Henderson was on-hand, crashing through Dan Biggar and Scott Williams before stretching out to score despite the challenge of Ken Owens. Sexton converted to tie the scores.

The second half was a far tighter affair that was marred by injuries for both teams.

Jamie Roberts suffered a heavy knock in a mid-air collision with Rob Kearney and was forced off 10 minutes later.

Sean O'Brien was then ruled to have been held up over the try-line by Hughes.

There was more bad news for Ireland when Earls was carried off with his neck in a brace on 64 minutes.

Halfpenny scored with a second penalty when play resumed and added a third but only after Wales survived an injury scare of their own when Alun Wyn Jones twisted his knee.

Jones recovered and Wales held out for a telling result.

Ireland conclude their warm-up programme away to England at Twickenham a week on Saturday, when Wales face Italy at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
Source: AFP