WARREN GATLAND mentioned it could break his coronary heart if Wales returned to the doldrums.
And the unhealthy information for the Lions boss is his successor Wayne Pivac has taken the Dragons if not fairly to all-time low, then someplace shut.
New Zealand-born star James Lowe scored on his Eire debutCredit score: AFP or licensors
Quinn Roux obtained Eire’s first attemptCredit score: Sportsfile – Subscription
Billy Burns made his debut off the bench for skipper Jonny Sexton at fly-halfCredit score: PA:Press Affiliation
Gatland left after final 12 months’s World Cup together with his crew Grand Slam champions and the fourth greatest facet on the planet.
However beneath Pivac Wales have turn out to be a shadow of their former selves and this was their sixth straight defeat.
Wales had been diabolical in opposition to Scotland on the finish of the Six Nations.
And there was no enchancment within the first half in Dublin.
Pivac’s facet gave away 10 penalties and their scrum and line-out was terrible.
They had been fortunate to solely be 10 factors down with Eire crossing via Quinn Roux.
Pivac’s males had been higher after the break and helped by Eire’s poor self-discipline, however they nonetheless couldn’t cease James Lowe from finishing one other hammering.
Pivac is now a person beneath severe stress with the vultures circling.
Wales slumped to a sixth straight defeat beneath boss Wayne PivacCredit score: Sportsfile – Subscription
Eire misplaced Jacob Stockdale and Iain Henderson earlier than the match and the sparks flew within the first 5 minutes as two scraps broke out.
Irish skipper Johnny Sexton opened the scoring with a penalty as his crew obtained the higher hand on Wales prop Rhys Carre on the scrum.
Leigh Halfpenny instantly responded with a easy three factors after his Lions team-mate Robbie Henshaw was penalised for not releasing the tackler.
Wales had been all at sea on the scrum and had been second greatest within the bodily battle.
So it was no shock when Eire’s forwards set to work.
A sequence of Exeter-style carries near the ruck ended with Roux – a late substitute for Henderson – crashing over. Sexton transformed and instantly added a penalty.
However on his one hundredth cap the Irish skipper tweaked his hamstring kicking the penalty and limped off.
Jonny Sexton received his one hundredth cap however tweaked a hamstringCredit score: PA:Press Affiliation
Josh Adams is tackled by the Irish defenceCredit score: Reuters
Billy Burns changed Sexton for his Eire debut as Wales’ set-piece struggles went from unhealthy to worse. Pivac’s facet even misplaced a scrum on their very own put-in – a rarity at Take a look at stage.
Wales had sacked defence coach Byron Hayward within the build-up to this recreation.
And forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys would have been sweating on his job as his pack obtained put to the sword. Halfpenny and Burns swapped penalties, however there was just one crew in it.
Simply earlier than the break one other Wales line-out went awry.
Josh Adams saved the day, however Pivac had seen sufficient of Carre as he introduced on Wyn Jones at loosehead.
Wales conceded one other scrum penalty in a very good attacking place when the sport restarted.
Such was the away facet’s lack of perception of their set-piece that after they received a penalty on midway, they went for the posts as a substitute of the nook.
Halfpenny’s monster effort fell simply brief.
Eire’s No8 Caelan Doris excelled of their winCredit score: AFP or licensors
Sub George North received his one hundredth cap on a disappointing evening for WalesCredit score: AFP or licensors
A minute or so later from precisely the identical place, Biggar went for territory slightly than the posts and his kick failed to seek out contact.
It summed up the bewildering decision-making and terrible execution of these in purple. The one saving grace for Wales was Eire’s woes as they caught their opponent’s breakdown blues.
Halfpenny did kick a penalty to make it 16-9, however Caelan Doris charged down Gareth Davies and solely a surprise sort out by Taulupe Faletau denied Cian Healy.
Burns added one other penalty and Wales lastly went on the assault after unloading their bench.
Halfpenny missed one other kick as Jonathan Davies limped off to get replaced by George North for his one hundredth cap.
However Conor Murray – who changed Burns – struck a penalty together with his first contact after which added a second earlier than Lowe put the sport to mattress and Wales out of their distress within the closing play.
British and Irish Lions team-mates Peter O’Mahony and Alun Wyn Jones went face to faceCredit score: AFP or licensors
Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones: “We talked a couple of response and we noticed vitality and utility. We had been higher both facet of the break however the injury was executed by Eire.
“They received the arm wrestle to seal the win. Credit score to Eire. They’d a very good defence. We felt we had numerous momentum however didn’t get throughout the road.
“We aren’t going to shrink back from the consequence. In the end it’s one other loss. We aren’t scoring sufficient factors.
“We can also’t shrink back from the actual fact we regressed within the set-piece. It’s troublesome whenever you don’t have the ball. I’ve been via a few durations like this up to now.
“You don’t wish to be taught on the job, however we must now. The educational curve is all the time there, however now it’s obtained steeper.”
Stress is mounting on Wales boss Wayne PivacCredit score: AFP or licensors
Eire coach Andy Farrell loved his facet’s ‘dominant efficiency’Credit score: PA:Press Affiliation
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac: “I’m very disillusioned with the primary half. Our set-piece was struggling and we had been unable to construct stress. I
“t was similar to the Scotland recreation. When you need to take that many tackles it takes its toll. It’s very arduous to construct momentum whenever you concede ten penalties within the first half.
“It’s one thing we have to enhance on and rapidly. We have now obtained numerous gamers getting back from severe accidents who are usually not acting at their greatest. It’s very irritating.
“The modifications we wish to make are taking time. It’s a bitter tablet to swallow as we’re serving to the opposition and never ourselves. The publish lockdown interval has been stuffed with error however we have now to proceed to try to enhance.”
Eire head coach Andy Farrell: “We had been dominant. Within the first half we did some good things that was price greater than a ten-point lead I assumed.
“Within the second half we had been a bit disjointed, however it was a dominant efficiency and I although the scoreline was reflective of that.”
