Andy Farrell heaped praise on a 'tremendous' Wales side after Ireland battled to a 27-17 bonus-point victory in Dublin, keeping their faint Guinness Six Nations title hopes alive. The hosts led 12-10 at half-time after tries from Jacob Stockdale and Jack Crowley, either side of Rhys Carre's effort for Wales. Jack Conan and Jamie Osborne crossed after the break, with James Botham scoring for the visitors.
Farrell admitted his side were not at their best, crediting Wales for a dogged display. 'I actually thought Wales did fantastically well to stay in the game. They played tough, they hung on in there and kept it close on the scoreboard,' he said. 'It was a proper Test match and for us to come away with a bonus-point win, we'd certainly take that.'
The Ireland head coach singled out Wales' defence and set-piece work as key factors. 'Most of the credit of how that Test match unfolded has to go to Wales because I thought they were outstanding in the way they went about the fight,' Farrell added.
Wales remain winless in the championship, having lost all four matches so far, extending their Six Nations losing streak to 15. Head coach Steve Tandy expressed pride in his players' effort. 'Massive pride in the boys and the shift they put in. The physicality they left out on the field was outstanding. Disappointed we didn't get something from the game because I felt we deserved something,' he said.
France can win the title with a round to spare by beating Scotland with a bonus point at Murrayfield on Saturday. Wales will look to avoid finishing bottom for the third consecutive season when they host Italy on the final weekend.
