Six Nations 2019 Rugby Preview – 2.45 pm kick off
What a showdown. Wales get home advantage for their shot at winning the Six Nations this year and completing the Grand Slam in the process. But they will know that they are not going to get an easy game for the Irish.
A win for Ireland sees the defending champions finish above the Wales. It’s a tense finish at the top with England sandwiching the pair in the top three.
Wales v Ireland odds*
Wales 4/5
Ireland 23/10
Draw 22/1
* (betting odds taken from bet365 on March 13th, 2019 at 5:00 pm)
Wales v Ireland Preview
Wales are the only team who have won all of their games in the Six Nations 2019 and yet they only take a slender one-point lead into the final weekend of action. They top the pile ahead of England, with Ireland two points behind the Welsh. So it’s all tight and this makes this a win or bust game for both of them.
The only way that Wales guarantee that they are going to win the title is if they win this with a bonus point. That means that the English won’t be able to catch them. If Wales only take the four match points for a win then England could beat them with a bonus point victory over Scotland later on the day. England dominate the table in points-difference which is the tie-breaker.
The big point of this season’s title challenge from Wales was on matchday three when they took a 21-13 victory over England after having been down at the halftime break. That is two big come from behind victories that Wales have recorded in this season’s championship after having trailed at the break.
It hasn’t been perfect, but it has been gutsy and passionate from the Welsh. They are odds-on favourites to get the win in the game but the handicap market is showing at Wales -1 for even money * (betting odds taken from bet365 on March 13th, 2019 at 5:00 pm). It is expected to be that tight.
Head to Head
Things have been really tight between these two in recent meetings. Wales are W2 D1 L3 in their last six games against the Irish in the Six Nations (home and away). Wales took a 22-9 win in their last home game against Ireland which was in 2017. Wales have won three of their last four Six Nations home games against Ireland.
Can Ireland spoil the Welsh party?
There will be less pressure on Ireland because they are the away side. Since their opening home defeat against England, the Irish have shown some good character to tighten the ship a bit. They responded on week two with a controlled victory at Murrayfield against Scotland and then came out on top in a scrappy, low key duel with Italy in Rome.
Last weekend Ireland looked far more open and dynamic than we have seen at any point of this campaign. They took a 26-14 win over the French in Dublin, picking up a bonus point for the second game running. How important will those be at the end of the day? Ireland looked on course for a shut out until they conceded two converted tries in the last three minutes of the game. Only a win here gives them a shot at the title, but they will need help from Scotland against England later in the day.
Wales v Ireland Prediction
This is going to be a tense encounter. It’s such a dramatic climax as well and we could still be in the position of not knowing who the champions are this season until England v Scotland later in the day.
Because the Welsh have home advantage, the support in Cardiff may just be able to drive them over the line. Wales to win outright at 4/5 odds* (betting odds taken from bet365 on March 13th, 2019 at 5:00 pm).
