How big was that Friday night win for Wales over Ireland? Massive, says Phil Bennett, who reckons a house of many cards would have fallen down if Rob Howley had suffered another Six Nations defeat.

 

There is an argument for claiming Wales’ victory over Ireland on Friday night was among their most important for 25 years.

Where would Rob Howley have gone if he had lost this one and then suffered another defeat in Paris? What would have happened to the much-claimed “evolution” of the playing style?

What would have been the impact on the career of George North if he had failed his own personal test? How many Welshmen would have made the Lions tour?

What would Warren Gatland’s relationship have been like with those he might have snubbed and left behind? What would the World Cup implications have been of another tumble down the rankings?

In the end, all those questions were brushed aside when Jamie Roberts thundered in under the posts for Wales’ third try.

The reaction of the Wales management at the end said it all. They were ecstatic, but it was more than just relief. It was a release of pent up fury at their critics, but, perhaps, also at themselves.

When a coach is as inflexible as Howley was before this game, as determined to remain deaf to the calls for change, then he has to deliver.

Otherwise – if he loses – every pub pundit and bar room know-all suddenly looks wiser than the national coach.

Howley knew all that. He knew his head was on the block, just like Gatland did when he ignored calls to bring back Brian O’Driscoll for the Lions’ deciding Test against Australia four years ago.

It’s good for coaches to be stubborn. You certainly don’t want them being swayed by outside opinion.

But when they dig in their heels, they have only one form of protection from the jostling crowd on Twitter, the internet assassins, in the newspapers, on TV, on the radio, the mumbling discontent that starts to grow within their own organisation.

It’s to win. Nothing else offers respite.

His players recognised what was at stake and they used it as a defensive shield to see off Ireland when they were under the cosh in that second-half.

Alun Wyn Jones led like a true captain and did his chances of leading the Lions a power of good. He gets through so much work.

Rory Best missed with some key line-out throws and it’s hard to see how a guy who looks a long way off being a Test-team Lion can be a serious contender to be skipper.

Not only did Wales pinch three of those line-out throws, they also had a more effective driving maul than the Irish – something we haven’t seen for years.

Rhys Webb must surely have nailed his own Lions place. He was quick and clever and outplayed Conor Murray. His tactical kicking worked well, particularly when he noticed Ireland’s back three had been dragged out of position, and you have to think he will wear No.9 for the Test Lions team on this showing.

I felt Wales did a great job on the much-heralded Irish back row. Sam Warburton had a storming game at blindside and nullified the threat CJ Stander, Justin Tipuric was into everything at the breakdown and made Sean O’Brien look anonymous, whilst Ross Moriarty was a match for Jamie Heaslip at No.8.

Robbie Henshaw will have nightmares about joining that one successful rolling maul from an offside position. Had Best scored the try, then the outcome might have swung. It would certainly have swung momentum when the score was 15-9.

Howley used his bench replacements wisely. They came on after others had emptied the tank, rather than when they still had plenty of fuel.

The second-half performance by Wales was a complete reversal of their meek, inept display in the last 40 minutes at Murrayfield.

This time, they stepped things up – smashing into Ireland in the tackles, gaining field position and then working another try off a set-piece.

In fact, Wales have looked sharp off set-pieces throughout this tournament. It’s how they have scored most of their tries.

The problems are still there, though, when their initial attacks are thwarted. Wales then look like they have few ideas, other than just pick and go and send a runner on a crash ball.

That’s not going to trouble the best teams and Howley must know it. There has to be more variety and more imagination in those attacking moments and that could mean changing some of the players if those players cannot change themselves.

France in Paris will be a tougher fixture than it has been for the last three visits, because the French are improving.

But Wales will go there with the pressure having been lifted. The losing streak has not become a crisis, they are back on an even keel with two wins and two losses in this tournament, and a chance to finish on the right side of the balance sheet.