LAST season, Ireland saw off the Welsh challenge at schools, under 21, A and senior levels, and won the Triple Crown in the schools band under 21 spheres in the process.
The rivalry will be renewed this weekend at four different levels: under 21, A, universities and senior. The under 21 team will meet Wales in Bridgend this afternoon, the A side will journey up: the Rhonda Valley to play under the lights at Pontypridd tonight, and the universities meet their counterparts at the Cyn Coed Campus in Cardiff this evening. Then, of course, comes the main event tomorrow.
Despite the defeat by France at under 21 level a fortnight ago (the first match between Ireland and France at this level), the Irish youngsters are still in with a chance of emulating last season's feat of winning the Triple Crown. Wales have already taken the first step along the route towards that objective, as they defeated Scotland a fortnight ago in Edinburgh, and the Welsh under 21 team is rated very highly.
It is, in some respects, unfortunate that the club form is deprived of three players who would have considerably strengthened the team Denis Hickie and Eric Miller play at senior level tomorrow, and scrum half Brian O'Meara is playing for the Ireland A side. All three are still eligible for the under 21 team.
Ireland gave a very disappointing display against the French, and the side is really better than that performance suggested. The selectors have made two changes in personnel and a positional alteration for the match today. Ulster senior interprovincial Sheldon Coulter comes into the centre and Rory Sheriff is named in the second row with John Gardiner going to the back row.
While the Welsh may not be as adept at the counter attack as the French, the Ireland tackling will need to be infinitely more decisive than it was a fortnight ago. And Wales have a real quality player in outside half Leigh Jarvis, who has European Cup experience with Pontypridd and Cardiff and is an ace kicker.
The Irish pack looks good enough to win reasonable possession, with Sheriff and John Fitzgerald in the second row and Simon Easterby at number eight, but they must maul and ruck with more assurance than they did against France.
Equally, the backs must make more effective use of the ball than they did a fortnight ago if the Irish are to take the initial step towards retention of the Triple Crown.
Like the under 21 team, the Ireland A side suffered a comprehensive defeat by the French. The same afternoon the Welsh A team had to endure a much greater humiliation at the hands of Scotland A, losing by 56-11, the most comprehensive defeat inflicted on Wales at this level.
Wales included 10 full internationals in the side against the Scots and do so again today. They had originally chosen 11, but Daffyd James has been called into the senior side and his place goes to Garan Evans (Llanelli) on the left wing Evans played against the Scots.
For a variety of reasons, the Ireland team has undergone major amendment and shows seven changes from the side that lost to France. Hickie, one of the few to emerge from the French match with reputation enhanced, and hooker Ross Nesdale, who came on as a replacement against the French, were both original choices on the A team but have now of course moved up a grade.
The survivors from the match against France are centre Killian Keane, scrum half O'Meara, loose head prop Henry Hurley, hooker Mark McDermott (recalled when Nesdale was chosen on the senior team), the second row pair Mick Galwey and Brian Cusack, and Eddie Halvey and Anthony Foley in the back row.
Like the Irish, the Welsh selectors have done a major overhaul with most alterations being made up front after the Scots did a demolition job a fortnight ago on the Welsh forwards. All three rows have been altered.
Yet they look to have a very good, attacking three quarter line in Simon Hill, Leigh Davies, Nigel Davies and now Evans on the left wing. All but Evans are full caps.
Conor O'Shea, Niall Wood and outside half Niall Malone are the capped players in the Irish back division. The match marks a return for Malone and Woods, so it is a good opportunity for them to impress and for O'Shea to restake his claims to the full backberth at top level which he has lost to Jim Staples.
The selection of New Zealander Gavin Walsh at tight head prop is interesting, but hard on Angus McKeen. Galwey's second row combination with Cusack is the unity of youth and experience, and the Irish back row of Halvey, Foley and new cap Kieron Dawson looks to have distinct possibilities.
Dawson is quick and his play on the open side will be watched with particular interest, while Halvey may feel more at home on the blind side flank with his Shannon club colleague Foley at number eight.
That back row could prosper if those in front offer a solid platform and the rucking and mauling, is more effective than it was against France. Equally the defence must be much better, for missed tackles will allow that Welsh three quarter line to profit.
A win for Ireland is not an unreasonable expectation but one can take it that Wales will show vast improvement from their poor performance a fortnight ago.
Last season the Irish Universities looked set to win the Triple Crown but lost in the last minute to Wales. The Irish get the chance to reverse that defeat when they meet the Welsh in Cardiff this evening.
