Ireland lose a 13 point lead after a dominant first half only for Wales to take the lead with only seven minutes remaining. Ireland claw the game back level for the first draw between the two teams since the 1991 Five Nations fixture in Cardiff.
Ireland opened the scoring at the five minute mark. Wales got pulled for being offside after 17 phases in their half. Jonathan Sexton nailed a relatively easy kick to put the home side in the lead.
Sexton doubled Ireland’s score after 14 minutes. A slightly more difficult kick from the 22′ and just 15 feet from touch.
Things were beginning to look grim for the Welsh as Dan Biggar exited play after only 20 minutes with a foot injury, Rhys Priestland replacing him.
The game’s first try came from a now dominate looking Ireland, just minutes after Jamie Healslip was denied a try by the TMO. Ireland underwent a number of phases in front of the Welsh line following the resultant scrum. A dummy from Conor Murray and a snipe towards the line gave Ireland a 13 point lead after Sexton’s conversion.
Wales finally got on the scoreboard 32 minutes in. A tip tackle from Keith Earls on Liam Willams allowed Priestland to kick over a penalty from 35 metres out.
Priestland’s penalty paved the way for Wales, only needing a five minute turn-around to get over the line for their first try. After two five metre scrums and an attempted cross-field kick, Taulupe Faletau picked up a loose ball before bursting over Murray. Priestland converted to leave only a three point difference at half-time.
Priestland leveled the score at the 47 minute mark.Tommy O’Donnell was penalised for going off his feet leaving a straightforward kick for the replacement 10.
The game progressed too tight to call, both sides with missed chances, until the 73rd minute. Ireland were penalised for holding on in the ruck, Preistland capitalising on the opportunity with an epic kick from 45 metres out with a tight angle.
However, the game was squared up again in the 75th minute after Wales were caught offside. Sexton pulled Ireland back level as the ball just creeps inside the right post.
The game went right until the 84th minute, neither team able to break through the defence to leave the final score 16 apiece.
