A look at how the Welsh players fared

LEIGH HALFPENNY 6

Useful to have when Rhys Priestland’s boot malfunctioned but a weakness in defence and the air, especially against Rob Kearney. Still, the match winner.

ALEX CUTHBERT 4

Gone by half-time without ever making an impact.

JONATHAN DAVIES 8

Best Welsh three-quarter. Held off Gordon D’Arcy for first try and a constant threat with ball in hand, as proved when streaking clear for his second.

JAMIE ROBERTS 6

Bright start but not his usual dynamic self, due to a lack of fitness, and still he was squeezing out inches at the end.

GEORGE NORTH 9

Unstoppable. Powered through Fergus McFadden before a cracking offload for Davies’ second try. Kearney, Tommy Bowe and D’Arcy all suffered a similar fate, the latter two for the 75th-minute try.

RHYS PRIESTLAND 5

Slumped shoulders after missing third shot at goal overshadowed brilliant skills to release Davies for first try.

MIKE PHILLIPS 7

Made yards whenever he spied a soft shoulder, bringing a calm, assured influence that comes with experience . . . but man of the match he wasn’t.

RHYS GILL 5

Coughed up a penalty at scrum-time that led to three points. Gethin Jenkins’ position is not under any major threat.

HUW BENNETT 6

Can take credit for his lineout throwing as Wales utilised this platform for Davies’ second try.

ADAM JONES 6

The old master is rarely noticed but take him out of the fray, as witnessed in the World Cup semi-final, and they are not the same pack.

BRADLEY DAVIES 7

Constant honest grafting until the yellow card for a tip tackle that made Sam Warburton’s dumping of Vincent Clerc look timid. Even Gatland admitted a suspension would probably follow.

IAN EVANS 7

Hurt by Andrew Trimble’s smashing mid-section tackle only to respond with a big carry.

RYAN JONES 7

Took over captaincy after Warburton went down, always a willing carrier but Dan Lydiate’s dynamism was missed.

SAM WARBURTON 6

Digged in deep to slow Irish ball in the opening 40 minutes before a dead leg took him out of the game.

TOBY FALETAU 6

Well marshalled by the Irish defence but gets credit, like fellow forwards, for engineering the field position for victory.

REPLACEMENTS 5

James Hook made precious memorable contributions when coming in for Alex Cuthbert.