Wales vs Ireland: Six Nations Team News & Preview – Edwards & Mee Start

Dublin, Ireland – Wales head into Friday’s Guinness Six Nations clash with Ireland at the Aviva Stadium seeking to end a frustrating three-year wait for a championship victory, a streak encompassing 14 consecutive losses. Head coach Steve Tandy has made three changes to the starting XV that faced Scotland, with a mix of enforced adjustments and opportunities for returning players.

The most significant alteration sees James Botham slotting into the back row, replacing the injured Taine Plumtree. This change necessitates a reshuffle, with Alex Mann moving to blindside flanker to accommodate his Cardiff colleague. The Welsh back row will be looking to provide a platform against a formidable Irish pack.

Further changes come in the backs, where fly-half Dan Edwards returns to the starting lineup, taking the place of the injured Sam Costelow. Edwards, who started the opening two games of the tournament against England and France, will be tasked with directing the Welsh attack. On the wing, Ellis Mee is back in the side, replacing Gabriel Hamer-Webb, who made his Test debut against Scotland.

Tandy acknowledged the unavoidable nature of some of the changes, stating, “There are a couple of enforced changes this week due to injury and then Ellis had played well in the opening couple of rounds, so we feel he deserves the opportunity again.” The coach emphasized the importance of building on the defensive improvements shown against Scotland, adding, “I thought the defence against Scotland was much improved, so we definitely aim for to double down on that going to Ireland.”

Wales’ defensive focus is crucial given Ireland’s attacking prowess. Tandy highlighted the challenge posed by the Irish, noting, “You see how they keep the ball in possession, they play lots of passes so we recognize we’re going to have to build and improve from the other week.” Ireland, having rebounded from an opening-round defeat to France with victories over Italy and England, haven’t lost to Wales on home soil in the Six Nations since 2012, a statistic that underscores the difficulty of the task facing Tandy’s side.

Adding to the intrigue is the potential debut of Bath centre Louie Hennessey, who is named on the bench. Hennessey, who previously impressed with Wales Under-20s, has been in good form for Bath, scoring three tries in six appearances this season. Tandy expressed his excitement about giving Hennessey a chance, saying, “Louie was unfortunate not to receive his opportunity in the autumn, but he’s trained really well. He had a bit of a bump on his hand at the start of this campaign, but the way he’s recovered and position performances in the training environment has been very impressive. We’re all excited to see Louie head out in Dublin.”

The inclusion of Hennessey provides valuable cover and adds another attacking option for Wales. Adam Beard and Olly Cracknell also return to the squad, bolstering the forward depth.

Despite the changes and the daunting record, Tandy is focused on incremental improvement. “This week it’s about backing up the performance against Scotland,” he said. “Going away from home is a different type of environment for our group, but the focus for us is really improving on what we did last game.”

The Welsh team reads as follows: L Rees-Zammit, E Mee, E James, J Hawkins, J Adams, D Edwards, T Williams; R Carre, D Lake (capt), T Francis, D Jenkins, B Carter, A Mann, J Botham, A Wainwright. Replacements: R Elias, N Smith, A Griffin, A Beard, O Cracknell, K Hardy, J Evans, L Hennessey.

For Wales, this match represents more than just a game; it’s an opportunity to break a demoralizing losing streak and demonstrate progress under Tandy’s leadership. The challenge is significant, facing an Irish side brimming with confidence and enjoying a strong home record. However, with key players returning and the prospect of a debutant adding fresh energy, Wales will be determined to make a statement in Dublin. The match is scheduled for Friday, with a kickoff time of 20:10 GMT, and will be broadcast on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, with live commentary available on RTÉ Radio 1.