Wales vs. Ireland: Score and Twitter Reaction from 2015 Six Nations Round 4

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at Internationaled.org

Published: March 14, 2015

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Wales ended Ireland's Grand Slam hopes and stayed in the Six Nations title race after winning a physical thriller 23-16.

The Welsh controlled Ireland during the first half, with Leigh Halfpenny's kicking taking them to an early 12-0 lead. The BBC Rugby Union Twitter account featured a great snapshot of Halfpenny's early dominance:



 

Halfpenny's ruthless efficiency contrasted with an uncharacteristically wasteful Johnny Sexton. While Halfpenny converted four kicks in a row, Sexton pulled his first wide. But he made the second count to finally get Ireland on the board.

But in open play, Sexton was a marked man. Wales consistently pushed the ball wide where they often had extra runners. With so many numbers swarming around him, Sexton was under constant pressure.

Ireland's dour approach to this tournament finally caught up with them. Coach Joe Schmidt's team entered this game as the "second-lowest try-scorers" at the Six Nations, having relied on a "low-risk kicking game," per Sky Sports.

They couldn't find the answers in this game, despite a ton of pressure and numerous phases.

The first half descended into a scrappy affair. The Three Rugby Ireland official Twitter feed captured an apt image that revealed the intense physicality of this clash:



 

Normally, that would suit Ireland. But the Welsh consistently won the breakdowns, with 34-year-old prop Gethin Jenkins particularly impressive.

Both teams were content to keep the ball in the air, and eventually the Irish kick-and-chase game began to hold sway. Sexton converted again to make it 12-6.

A smartly executed drop goal after some patient possession restored a nine-point advantage for the Welsh. But one more kick, another from Sexton, closed out a first half perfectly summed up by the Six Nations' Twitter feed:



 
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Rugby Union

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