LAST UPDATE | 20 Feb 2024
WALES FLY-HALF Sam Costelow has been recalled to the starting line-up for Saturday’s Six Nations clash against Ireland in Dublin.
The Scarlets number 10 went off because of a neck problem suffered when Wales were beaten 27-26 by opening Six Nations opponents Scotland.
He was replaced by Ioan Lloyd, who started at fly-half in the Twickenham appointment with England, but Costelow now returns as a solitary change from that game.
🏴 𝐗𝐕 𝐂𝐘𝐌𝐑𝐔 🏴
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) February 20, 2024
👊 The Welsh team to take on Ireland
⚔️ Un newid i geisio gorchfygu'r Gwyddelod#SixNationsRugby | #IrelandWeek pic.twitter.com/smWXiTqkmi
Elsewhere, there are further starts for squad newcomers Cameron Winnett and Alex Mann, while centre George North wins his 120th cap and is only the third Wales player to reach that mark after Alun Wyn Jones and Gethin Jenkins.
Uncapped Cardiff back-row forward Mackenzie Martin, meanwhile, features on the replacements’ bench.
The 20-year-old is in his first full season of professional rugby and has made just nine Cardiff appearances, but he is now set to make a Test debut at the Aviva Stadium.
Other changes on the bench from Twickenham see Lloyd and Harlequins prop Dillon Lewis both included.
Wales have not won a Six Nations encounter in Dublin since 2012, drawing one and losing four of the subsequent meetings.
They face a Herculean task against opponents fresh from posting bonus-point victories over France and Italy in pursuit of successive Grand Slams.
Wales head coach Warren Gatland said: “We are excited to go out to Dublin and test ourselves against one of the leading sides in world rugby. It is a challenge we are relishing.
Rob Howley, Wales assistant coach, said visitors to Dublin will try to create rugby chaos.
“The challenge for us is making them as uncomfortable as we can, for every minute that we can do that, and ask different questions of them,” Howley said.
“I think if we can be comfortable in a chaos game and challenge them, because they are very well organised. We need to create chaos. Everyone reacts differently under pressure.
“We have to be able to create pressure on both sides of the ball on Saturday, for 80 of those one-minute games. If we can do that, it is 23 against 23 at the end of the day.
“It is our ability to create pressure on both sides of the ball, our ability to be clinical when we need to be. There might only be two or three opportunities, and we have to be clinical and ruthless.
Howley, who served as Wales attack coach from 2008 to 2019, is back involved with the national squad this season following his ban for breaching betting regulations.
He was forced to step back from the game in the build up to the 2019 World Cup when his betting activity came to light, resulting in an 18-month ban from rugby, half of which was suspended.
“I am so grateful to the coaches, and Warren (Wales head coach Warren Gatland) in particular, to think of me and bring me back into the fold,” Howley said.
“Every time I’ve been out with my family, it is the first time my girls have smiled for a pretty long time. The public have been fantastic in terms of what they have said to me.
“I am so lucky and glad to be back in a role I have loved for a long period of time.”
Wales (v Ireland)
- 15. C Winnett
- 14. J Adams
- 13. G North
- 12. N Tompkins
- 11. R Dyer
- 10. S Costelow
- 9. T Williams
- 1. G Thomas
- 2. E Dee
- 3. K Assiratti
- 4. D Jenkins
- 5. A Beard
- 6. A Mann
- 7. T Reffell
- 8. A Wainwright
Replacements:
- 16. R Elias
- 17. C Domachowski
- 18. D Lewis
- 19. W Rowlands
- 20. M Martin
- 21. K Hardy
- 22. I Lloyd
- 23. M Grady
I’d say Munster would beat that Welsh team, which really says a lot
@Dave Moran: did you think of that joke all by yourself?
@mWhSNsK2: It wasn’t actually a joke Tony
@Dave Moran: more like a bit of horse talk coming from an ass
If it really wasn’t a joke
@Dave Moran: what do you expect from a pig but a grunt
@Dave Moran: Arrogance and no brains is a lamentable combination. You are most definitely exhibit A.
I am a long time observing people and seldom have I encountered such repugnant nonsense.
@seamus Beirne: seamus your too old to be arguing with people online
@Dave Moran:
I’d imagine 15 bald lads in flowery jerseys with bad eyesight might be more up your street
@Dave Moran: I cannot disagree with that comment.
I am old school and believe in respect, some humility, and courtesy to others. Qualities you know little or nothing about.
@seamus Beirne: Seamus, you were actually the person calling me brainless? For such an old fossil, I’m surprised you don’t represent the so called “respect” you talk of.
Is that like the GAA ‘A.N. Other’ at number 6?
4-9 look decent for Wales, with some threats out the back. We should win comfortably enough but they certainly have enough in their locker to cause us a few problems. As always, we will need to be on it from the start and not give them an opportunity to get their confidence up. They are a threat at the breakdown and it should be a good battle between Reffel and VDF, assuming VDF gets picked.
Last time we see the green of Ireland play the red of Wales in the 6 nations.
@Kingshu: ya saw that. It’s to accommodate colour blind viewers. So we go black v white??
Back to the 60′s tv shows!
@Kingshu: Not sure why Wales cannot wear black shorts as they did in the days of b&w TV. The 1 in 12 that suffer colour blindness should be able to differentiate.
@Kingshu: Great News! 1 in 12 men colourblind. 4,583 of 55,000 in Aviva Stadium. 3.8 average players colourblind out of 46.
Ireland v Wales in a sunny Croke Park when Ireland wore a darker green for the late 00s was particularly difficult.
For a change that helps thousands of people at a match and millions on tv for no meaningful downside on the rest, it’s a great move.
@BF Sports Analysis: I don’t entirely agree. The national colours mean so much to players and fans and it is important that they can play in them. There has to be alternative solutions, such as creative patterns on the fabric that make it obviously different or, as was suggested by Eggchasers, Wales could wear black shorts.
I can’t ever recall Wales having such limited options at fly half.
Welsh rugby is in a deplorable state. A pub team. Ireland by more than 25 points.
Ireland by 30 plus. Wales are sinking without a trace as a rugby nation. When that happens all they’ll have left is Tom Jones and Ryan Giggs brother.
Unfortunately, this will be a repeat of Italian job
Gatland has always
@Conor: perfect
I remember the years when Ireland turned up and gave it their all and lost, and then lost again, and then again, and I have been watching them for more than 50 years. The very idea that Wales should be written off in this way reminds me of how Ireland were once written off. I want an Irish win but I also wish the Welsh all the very best.
@John O’Regan: I was struck by this as I was entering Landsdowne Road 2 weeks ago. There were a few people “our” age and then alot of 16 to 20 somethings. I actually felt lucky to be able to remember the pain of such dark days for Irish rugby, particularly in the 90s. The regular tussles with Wales for alternate years to take the wooden spoon. There was a period during which the only match Ireland won was the game v Wales in Cardiff and the only game Wales could win was the game v Ireland in Dublin. The odd victory over England but there were 12 barren years v Scotland and 17 v France.
But, but dont we like chaos? Andy always saying…. We need to hammer this lot. England in Twickenham might be much harder as they sort themselves out.