O’Connell back to lead Ireland against Wales
Gordon D’Arcy returns at centre for key clash in Dublin
Paul O’Connell will captain Ireland in Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Wales after illness ruled him out of last weekend’s opening win, while coach Joe Schmidt made only one more change with Gordon D’Arcy returning at centre.
Ireland easily beat Scotland 28-6 last Sunday, finishing the match particularly strongly after their influential lock was struck down with a chest infection on the eve of the game.
D’Arcy, who was rested after suffering illness earlier last week, comes in for Ulster’s Luke Marshall to add more experience to the backline as they face a Welsh side bidding for a third championship in a row.
It’s pretty hard to pinpoint a weakness. Man to man [Wales] are a very, very big side
“It’s pretty hard to pinpoint a weakness. Man to man they’re a very, very big side,” Schmidt said of Saturday’s opponents who beat Italy 23-15 in their opener and who also welcome back their captain, Sam Warburton.
“If you try to go through them, you’re not going to get a lot of success so we’re going to have to be fairly smart about the way we play.”
Saturday’s game will also be the first time D’Arcy’s centre partner Brian O’Driscoll will come up against Warren Gatland since the Welsh coach controversially dropped him from the side for the British and Irish Lions’ third test against Australia last year.
The decision drew an angry reaction in Ireland, whom Gatland coached more than a decade ago, but O’Driscoll and his teammates have been keen to keep the emphasis on Saturday’s game, which their captain predicts will be extremely tight.