Red-hot Wales will have to turn up the heat in Dublin

Feb 25 2008 by Gareth Griffiths, South Wales Echo

Wales 47-8 Italy

AS honeymoon periods go this is a gondola trip around the tranquil waterways of Venice complete with vintage champagne and a dozen red roses.

Because the happy coaching couple of Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards can simply do no wrong at the moment.

This rugby partnership, who even admitted having a meal together on Valentine’s Day, have led Wales to the top of the Six Nations table with three successive victories, placing them on the brink of championship glory in their first year together.

After leading their new adopted nation to their first victory at Twickenham in 20 years on their first date, the Gatland/Edwards axis have followed this up with a comfortable victory over Scotland before Saturday’s record Millennium Stadium win over Italy.

And England’s victory in Paris on Saturday evening has resulted in Wales sitting proudly at the Six Nations summit, boasting the only 100 per cent record in the tournament and the one side who still have a chance of winning the Grand Slam.

With the healthy points difference they now hold courtesy of the tries they racked up against the hapless Italians in Cardiff, Wales are firmly in the box seat knowing a home victory against France on the final weekend will probably lead to Six Nations glory. Yet before that, the Triple Crown showdown with Ireland at Croke Park on Saturday week looms with the Welsh players aware they have not won in Dublin for eight years.

However, payback will be firmly Gatland’s prerogative ahead of the Irish clash as he will be desperate his fairytale start is not halted by the country he used to coach.

The New Zealander’s stint in the Emerald Isle ended in an acrimonious divorce in 2001 when Gatland was unceremoniously shunted aside for Eddie O’Sullivan.

So while he will publicly say the Ireland clash is not personal you sense his burning desire to get one over on a country that ditched him seven years ago.

For that match Gatland knows his team selection will be vital having tinkered in the three victories so far. The Kiwi had made six changes for the clash against Italy following the triumph against Scotland, including altering the front-row and the half-backs.

While considering whether Ospreys lock Alun Wyn Jones is fit enough to return, it is these two areas where the Welsh coaching staff will have the most to consider before naming their side next Tuesday.

The predicted front-row massacre by the Italians on the Welsh scrum never materialised but you sense only Gethin Jenkins could remain in the starting line-up against the Irish, with Matthew Rees and Rhys Thomas dropped in favour of Huw Bennett and Adam Jones. Rees failed to push his case as he missed his target on four occasions in a struggling Welsh first-half lineout, typified by the overthrow that led to the Italian try for Martin Castrogiovanni.

And the contrasting performances of the recalled Scarlets half-back pair of Stephen Jones and Dwayne Peel will have also made interesting viewing for the Welsh coaching staff. Jones, who kicked 18 points, was composed and polished against the Italians and will be pushing James Hook for that starting spot at Croke Park.

But Peel suffered a miserable afternoon.

The Lions scrum-half was guilty of technical errors with a poor passing and kicking display as he struggled with the effects of a knock to his head. When he was hauled off just after the interval suffering from double vision, the rampaging Mike Phillips provided the spark Wales were lacking.

Wales have been classed as slow starters in the championship with mediocre first-half performances followed by drastic improvements after the break. This was replicated against the Italians with the hosts unimpressive in the first period and could even have been trailing, rather than leading the visitors 13-8 at the interval.

Full-back Andrea Marcato hit the post twice with kicks at goal and in the game’s first seminal moment, Italian centre Gonzalo Canale inexplicably dropped the ball with the Wales line at his mercy which would have handed his side a 12-6 lead.

The image of Italy’s South African coach Nick Mallett banging his fists in frustration demonstrated the knowledge his side had squandered a golden opportunity.

Instead of the Azzurri celebrating a half-time advantage they found themselves five points adrift because of eight points from the boot of Jones and a try from Lee Byrne, created by some superb running from Shane Williams and a lovely floated pass from Gavin Henson.

But while Wales were seen as lacklustre once more in the opening 40 minutes, the coaching staff have said it is part of a bigger picture where they try and grind down the opposition before opening up in the second half. First-half attrition, with Gatland highlighting the unsung work of Jenkins and Ian Gough against Italy, provides the platform which allows the Wales strike runners like Lee Byrne and Shane Williams to open up in the second half. And whether it was more by accident than design, this is exactly what happened on Saturday.

Italy were literally shattered after an opening half where they had been forced to make 73 tackles, compared to a tally of 26 for Wales. And the Welsh backs took full advantage via four second-half tries with Tom Shanklin beginning the rout by knocking the stuffing out of the Italians with an interception effort on his 50th cap.

Sergio Parisse’s men were then left reeling from the sin-binning of centre Mirco Bergamasco and the match was over as a contest. It was left to Williams and man-of-the-match Byrne to dazzle the Italians as they shared three fine tries.

The talents of Williams are well-documented and his sublime brace took his international tally to 39, one short of Gareth Thomas’ Welsh record, while Byrne has returned from the international wilderness to become the Six Nations’ form full-back.

A note of caution has to be attached to Wales’ rampant second-half performance because it came against an Italian defence that capitulated and Ireland and France will not be so accommodating. But as Wales chase Triple Crown, Six Nations and Grand Slam glory, the momentum is clearly there with Gatland’s men.

As Shaun Edwards said after the game, all roads now lead to Dublin.

gareth.griffiths@mediawales.co.uk