Scott Williams’ try and superb second-half Wales defence ended Ireland’s hopes of a Grand Slam and re-opened the battle for the 2015 RBS 6 Nations.
On the occasion of Paul O’Connell’s 100th cap for Ireland it was the men in red who were celebrating come the final whistle after Williams came off the bench to claim the crucial second-half score and seal an enthralling encounter in Cardiff.
After a fast start from the Welsh, that saw Leigh Halfpenny slot four penalties in a row to open a 12-point lead, Warren Gatland’s side had to give their all to hold on for a narrow victory in the end.
The boot of Jonathan Sexton had gradually closed the gap and while Williams had gone over, a penalty try for Joe Schmidt’s Ireland and incessant pressure ensured a nervy finish.
But Wales held on despite losing Jonathan Davies to the sin bin, ending Ireland’s win streak at ten and reigniting their own hopes of winning the 2015 Championship despite their opening-round loss to England.
Beating Ireland at home has been something of a problem for Wales in recent years, with two wins in the last 14 attempts, but they came storming out of the blocks in Cardiff on Saturday.
Man-of-the-match Warburton, leading his country for a record 34th time, reclaimed Dan Biggar’s short kick off and when Ireland infringed at the breakdown Halfpenny slotted Wales into an early 3-0 lead.
And the red onslaught would continue unabated for the next quarter of an hour, Davies producing a huge hand off on Sexton to get the hosts back on the front foot.
And when Peter O’Mahony, the scourge of England at the breakdown a fortnight ago, was punished by referee Wayne Barnes, Halfpenny had doubled Wales’ advantage with a second penalty.
Ireland were clearly rattled, a third penalty conceded on halfway after fine work by Gethin Jenkins over the ball and Halfpenny continued to hammer home the advantage and make it 9-0.
Sexton’s restart then went out on the full and Ireland were being given a taste of their own medicine, as Halfpenny and Jamie Roberts in particular were impressing under the high ball.
Barring a serious-looking ankle injury to Samson Lee – Aaron Jarvis introduced as his replacement at tighthead – the first quarter really could not have gone any better for Wales and when Ireland again infringed at the breakdown Halfpenny bisected the posts for a quickfire 12-0 lead.
Having worked so hard to build an advantage, Scott Baldwin then went a long way to handing it back to Ireland, first pinged for not rolling away although Sexton tugged that simple looking penalty to the left.
But the Wales hooker was then punished for a high shot on Tommy Bowe and from further out Sexton made no mistake to atone for his earlier miss.
Ireland’s foothold had been established and, but for a fine Warburton steal from an attacking Irish five-metre lineout, it could have been so much worse.
Continual infringements from both sides meant that free-flowing rugby was at something of a premium, Barnes quick to punish any and every infringement at the breakdown.
And it was Warburton who felt the referee’s wrath in the end, the skipper sent to the sin bin for using his hands in the ruck after continual Welsh offences.
Sexton slotted the subsequent penalty to make it 12-6 but the hosts maintained their composure and, despite the numerical disadvantage, superbly crafted a drop goal opportunity for Dan Biggar and the fly-half made no mistake.
A 15-6 lead was hefty for the hosts but there was still time for Ireland to hit back before the break, Sexton punishing yet another Welsh infringement to kick his third penalty of the day.
Wales’ front-row problems continued as Jenkins failed to emerge after the interval meaning Rob Evans took his place at loosehead and it was the visitors who started the brighter.
32 consecutive phases of Irish pressure in the opposition 22 stretched the Welsh defence to its very limits but when the penalty was eventually won Ireland instead opted for a kick to the corner.
Devin Toner set up the driving maul but still the Welsh defence held firm in the face of unrelenting pressure, Bowe dragged down inches short, while Simon Zebo was collared by North out wide and eventually Wales won the relieving penalty to preserve a six-point lead.
After the scrappy first half the game had really come alive and where Ireland had wasted their chances, Wales were clinical.
A fine Davies break nearly created the game’s first try as both George North and Liam Williams were tackled just short of the line.
Biggar’s wild pass into touch looked to have ended the chance but, after a lineout steal, the ball was fed back to the left and Williams, freshly on the field for Jamie Roberts, dived over for the pivotal score.
Halfpenny surprisingly missed the conversion but with quarter of an hour left Wales looked well set with a 20-9 lead.
Ireland responded but it looked like it would not be their day when replacement Cian Healy, winning his 50th cap, knocked on with the try line beckoning.
But eventually their pressure told as a slick driving lineout maul earned a penalty try and when Sexton added the extras the game was back in the balance at 20-16.
The last ten minutes were equally dramatic as the half hour that had come before, Wales the first to strike as the ever-present Warburton won a penalty that Halfpenny slotted.
Seven points down and with little time remaining, Ireland refused to buckle and when Davies was sent to the sin bin for a deliberate knock on the stage was all set for a dramatic finish.
But Wales held firm, referee Barnes coming to their rescue as the men in green tried to turn the screw with a close-range scrum and maul that went the way of the hosts.
