WHEN ANDY FARRELL sent on four of his six forward replacements at once in the 55th minute, you immediately sensed that Ireland would have enough to see off the challenge of Wales.

Remember that it was still only 17-7 in Ireland’s favour at this point and Tadhg Beirne had just come up with a massive maul turnover near his own tryline having spent the previous 10 minutes in the sin bin.

In short, the contest was still alive.

Farrell had to take off players of the quality of Dan Sheehan, Tadhg Furlong, Joe McCarthy, and captain Peter O’Mahony to get this crop of four bench forwards on, but it had been a physically taxing 15-minute period since half time.

Ireland needed an injection of energy and power, so on came Rónan Kelleher, James Ryan, and Ryan Baird and debutant tighthead prop Oli Jager.

Sub back row Jack Conan was already on the pitch, having come on as a Head Injury Assessment replacement for Josh van der Flier just four minutes earlier.

Van der Flier passed his HIA but Ireland were evidently pleased with the impact Conan had made and decided to make that a permanent substitution.

Less than two minutes after coming on, Conan delivers this strong tackle on Wales hooker Elliot Dee close to Ireland’s line.

Conan bounces straight back onto his feet and makes a second tackle on the next phase.

So when Conan was joined by Baird, Kelleher, Ryan, and Jager, it meant that five of Ireland’s six bench forward were on the pitch inside the third quarter.

While replacement loosehead prop Cian Healy wasn’t sent on until the 72nd minute, this was proactive use of the bench from Farrell. It makes sense to go a bit earlier when you opt for a forward-heavy 6/2 bench split, something Ireland resisted doing during the World Cup last year.

They stuck with their traditional 5/3 split during that tournament but the picture has changed for this Six Nations, with Farrell picking a 6/2 for the wins over France and Wales.

Given the quality of options Farrell has in the back five of the scrum, as well as injuries in the outside backs, it has made sense to go 6/2. Perhaps the biggest reason for that has been the superb form of Baird.

Directly after the entry of the aforementioned quartet, Ireland had to produce a 19-phase defensive grandstand in their own 22 in what was a decisive passage of the game. The subs were prominent.

Ryan lands a strong tackle, assisted by Conan, early in the set.

Conan wins another battle for inches soon after as Wales continue with a policy of narrow carries.

Wales challenge Ireland in an unsophisticated manner throughout this passage.

It’s bone-on-bone contact throughout. Wales want to test Ireland’s mettle, however foolhardy that seems. Ireland are up to the task.

By phase 16, Baird and Ryan are winning the gainline for Ireland.

On the next phase, Kelleher and Jager thunder into the tackle.

And finally on phase 19, it’s Kelleher who jackals for the turnover penalty after Andrew Porter’s tackle on Dee.

Ireland win this demanding battle and it contributes hugely to winning the war, denying Wales another morale-boosting score.

Already, Ireland are seeing major impact from their bench forwards.

Down the other end of the pitch, Kelleher soon makes his presence felt on the ball as he dummies and darts in between two Welsh defenders.

Kelleher’s carry generates crucial momentum as Ireland build towards a Bundee Aki try that is disallowed.

But Ireland’s game-sealing third try arrives soon enough and again, the bench forwards make a telling contribution.

Baird’s athleticism comes to bear just before Ireland win the penalty that allows them to kick into the corner for Ciarán Frawley’s try. As we see below, Baird picks up a clever inside pass from Caelan Doris to surge over the gainline.

Wales flanker Tommy Reffell concedes a cynical breakdown penalty just after this and should probably see yellow, but Ireland score off the ensuing five-metre lineout. 

Directly from the restart after that Frawley try, we see two of the Irish bench forwards connecting beautifully.

Kelleher punches onto the ball in midfield and offloads to Baird storming up on his left.

Baird blasts past the tackle attempt of Gareth Thomas and up into the Welsh half before firing a pass that Jamison Gibson-Park does well to reel in.

Baird gets back on the ball on the next phase, again beating Thomas, but knocks on as he looks for an offload to Kelleher.

Ireland still have to go through another period of intense defending inside their own 22 before this game is out.

As the collective discipline slips on an afternoon when Ireland conceded 13 penalties, Conan gives up a penalty for playing the scrum-half at a ruck, while Ryan is sent to the sin bin for not retreating 10 metres before tackling the quick-tapping Kieran Hardy.

With minutes left, Ireland have to dig in on their line and the replacements turn up.

Below, Jager and Kelleher deny Dillon Lewis.

Baird then combines with Aki to stop Mackenzie Martin.

Before Healy – now on for Porter – works with Jager and Doris to keep Thomas out.

Kelleher and Healy are involved as five Irish players finally combine to hold Aaron Wainwright up over their tryline.

With less than three minutes left on the clock, Ireland have a goal line drop out but they still believe there’s a bonus-point try up for grabs.

First, they need another strong defensive set to turn the ball over.

Wainright hammers back at them off Crowley’s long drop out but is met by a smashing hit by Jager and Healy.

Wales soon try play to width in their search for another score but waiting out on the wing is another of the Irish replacements, Stuart McCloskey.

Seen exclusively as an inside centre up until now, McCloskey was sent into this game on the right wing with 14 minutes left.

And he looks perfectly at home in this instance as he hammers opposite number Mason Grady in the tackle…

… and then follows Conan in on the counter-ruck to force a penalty for Ireland.

It means Ireland will get one last attacking chance and they take it with a cohesive 16-phase passage that concludes with Beirne’s try.

At one stage, McCloskey does well when it looks like Ireland will be shut down well behind the gainline.

Replacement scrum-half Conor Murray is soon sniping and offloading to Healy.

On the next phase, Jager sweeps a pass out the back to allow Ireland attack space wide on the left.

Jager carries on Ireland’s return phases into midfield, then Kelleher has a slick pass out the back before Healy pops up as an auxiliary wing.

A classy tip-in pass from Conan then allows Doris to make crucial ground.

Healy makes another trundle on the ball and then Doris’ latest contribution with a big carry and offload proves pivotal as Beirne scores through the exhausted Welsh defence on 16th phase.

Ireland were undoubtedly helped over the line by their impressive bench and the exciting thing for Farrell is that he may have even more options for the clash with England in two weekends’ time.

Iain Henderson, Garry Ringrose, and Hugo Keenan could return from injury, while the likes of Finlay Bealham, Jordan Larmour, and Craig Casey would all love to get back into the matchday 23.

While injuries will almost always be part of the picture, Farrell has tidy options when he’s composing his bench selections.