By Rob Cole
Shaun Edwards has told the Wales team to be prepared to top the 200 tackle count if they want to win in Dublin against unbeaten Ireland this weekend.
Wales made 117 tackles in their comfortable 34-7 win over Scotland in Round 1 and then stepped up their defensive effort with 200 in the 12-6 defeat to England at Twickenham in Round 2. They missed 19 tackles against the Scots, but only 18 against the English.
But Edwards has warned his players that they have to be prepared to break through the 200 tackle barrier at the Aviva Stadium if they are to emerge victorious and keep their title hopes alive in the NatWest 6 Nations.
Wales beat the Irish 22-9 in Cardiff last year and were forced to make 162 tackles to Ireland’s 139. What made life all the more difficult for them was the fact they conceded 10 penalties, something they have improved on in the current campaign.
“We’re under no illusions as to what’s coming on Saturday, but we’ve prepared well and we’re looking forward to a great challenge,” said Edwards.
“Ireland are a team who very rarely lose the ball and we’re expecting to have to make over 200 tackles. They wear teams down and they have two – I don’t use this term often – legendary half backs.
“They (Sexton and Murray) will be legends of the Irish game when they retire and we have to stop them. They’ve got a big, powerful, steam-rolling pack and some dangerous backs.
“They’ve only lost two of their last 22 games at home and that was to the All Blacks and us. They’re a formidable opponent.”
Wales have made three changes to their back division from the 12-6 defeat against reigning champions England and Edwards believes that will lead to an improved display in the aerial battle. Anthony Watson and Mike Brown were dominant in that phase at Twickenham, but the Welsh coaching team are looking for a change in fortunes following the return of British & Irish Lions trio Leigh Halfpenny, Liam Williams and Dan Biggar.
“Our aerial game will be better. I’m not saying it will be better than Ireland’s, but it will be better than it was against England,” said Edwards.
“We’ve done a lot of work on it and everyone knows what an important part of modern day rugby it is. We’ve got to carry on being very disciplined and it’s very pleasing we’ve only conceded an average of five penalties per game in the first two matches.
“There is a balance to be had between competing hard physically at the breakdown and not competing at all. In international rugby I think you do have to compete because otherwise teams get too much momentum.
“It’s a balance we have to get in our game. We did that in the second half against England, but I didn’t think we competed enough in the first half. The players know what I expect of them at the weekend.”