Wales have been Six Nations champions four times in the last 10 years, yet few are giving them much of a chance this time around after failing to push on in the second half of 2021.
Wayne Pivac's side are without inspirational skipper Alun Wyn Jones and do not exactly have history on their side, having won back-to-back championships just once – doing so in 2012 and 2013 – but the Dragons do at least play three of their five matches on home soil.
A fast start is imperative but a first-round trip to in-form Ireland presents the reigning champions with arguably their toughest assignment of the tournament. Champions in 2018, four barren years would feel like a lifetime should Ireland miss out again.
Wales will give Josh Adams his first international start at centre when they take on Ireland in their opening game of their Six Nations title defence at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.
The Cardiff Blues star, who has scored 17 tries in 35 Tests for Wales, will be given the number 13 jersey for the first time as head coach Wayne Pivac attempts to rediscover the magic achieved in last year's tournament when he moved George North to the role.
Adams will play in the midfield alongside Nick Tompkins, while Will Rowlands is back in the starting line up alongside vice-captain Adam Beard.
Taine Basham will be making his debut in the Six Nations in the back row with Aaron Wainwright and Ellis Jenkins.
Pivac told the Welsh Rugby Union website: "We've selected Josh Adams at 13. It's something we've been thinking about for a while. He's done it in training and in small doses at the end of a game. We think this is a golden opportunity to answer that question."
On the prospect of facing Ireland, he added: “They’re a very, very tough, very physical side. So we know we're going to have to step up in that area of the game and make sure we do that for 80 mins. We’ve got to be very disciplined and as a result be in there fighting for the right result."
Wales team: 15. Liam Williams, 14. Johnny McNicholl, 13. Josh Adams, 12. Nick Tompkins, 11. Louis Rees-Zammit, 10. Dan Biggar, 9. Tomos Williams, 1. Wyn Jones, 2. Ryan Elias, 3. Tomas Francis, 4. Will Rowlands, 5. Adam Beard, 6. Ellis Jenkins, 7. Taine Basham, 8. Aaron Wainwright
Replacements: 16. Dewi Lake, 17. Gareth Thomas, 18. Dillon Lewis, 19. Seb Davies, 20. Ross Moriarty, 21. Gareth Davies, 22. Callum Sheedy, 23. Owen Watkin
IRELAND V WALES MATCH FACTS
- Ireland have won four of their last five Test meetings with Wales (L1) however their solitary defeat in that run came in the most recent match between the sides, during last year’s Guinness Six Nations (16-21).
- Ireland have won their last four home games against Wales, their best run since winning four on the bounce between 2002 and 2006; they’ve never won five straight home games against Wales though.
- Wales have won two of their last three games outside Wales (L1), this after losing each of their previous six such matches, both victories coming during last year’s Guinness Six Nations.
- Ireland have won 27 of their last 29 Tests at the Aviva Stadium (L2), including their last six in a row, with their only defeats coming against England in 2019 and France in 2021 – both defeats coming in the Guinness Six Nations.
- Wales score the most points (164) and tries (20) during the Guinness Six Nations in 2021, despite making the joint fewest carries (511), gaining the fewest metres (1,548) and beating the fewest defenders during the Championship (58); their average of 3.7 points per 22 entry was the best of any nation.
- Wales boasted the joint best scrum success rate in the Championship in 2021 (96%, level with France), while only England (95%) recorded a better lineout success rate than Wayne Pivac’s side (91%); in fact, Wales were the only nation have a success rate of 90+% at both the scrum and lineout.
- Ireland made the most kicks in play of any team during the 2021 Guinness Six Nations (151), despite this they also made the most passes of any nation during the Championship (871); Wales made the second most kicks (147) and retained possession from their kicks more often than any other side (23).
- Ireland duo Tadhg Beirne and Iain Henderson ranked first and second respectively for turnovers won in the 2021 Guinness Six Nations, eight of Beirne’s turnovers were won via jackals with five of Henderson’s being won in that fashion.
- Ireland’s Johnny Sexton (96%, 25/26) recorded the best goal kicking success rate of any player (min. 3 kicks) during the 2021 Guinness Six Nations, despite his expected success rate being just 82%, based on the kicks he attempted during the Championship; those kicks were worth an additional 10 points for Ireland, the best differential of any player.
- Wales boasted the top tackler in the 2021 Guinness Six Nations (Justin Tipuric – 82) while Ireland had the top ball carrier within their ranks (CJ Stander – 72), however, neither man will feature in this year’s Championship, with Tipuric out through injury and Stander retiring at the end of last year’s tournament.
