Ireland Vs Wales: Visiting captain Dewi Lake backs shock at Aviva
ireland vs wales is set for a Friday night showdown at a sold-out Aviva Stadium with kick-off at 8: 10 p. m. ET; Wales arrive on the back of a narrow defeat while Ireland come off a 42-21 win in London. The match matters for momentum, milestones and a Welsh side that believes it can upset the favourites.
Match snapshot: teams, form and selection
Ireland named a strong Match Day 23 for the clash, with Jamison Gibson-Park set to win his 50th Test cap and Nathan Doak in line for an Ireland debut off the bench. Tom Stewart and Tom Farrell are listed among the replacements and are in line for their first Six Nations appearances. Andy Farrell named a pack that features Tom O’Toole, Rónan Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong in the front row, with James Ryan and Tadhg Beirne forming the second row and Jack Conan, Nick Timoney and captain Caelan Doris rounding out the back row.
Wales arrive buoyed by an improved display in a 26-23 loss to Scotland and with Dewi Lake ever present under the current coaching era. Wales have a lengthy win drought in the Championship and have not won in Dublin in the Six Nations since 2012, their last international victory at the Aviva coming in a World Cup warm-up match more than a decade ago. Ireland are heavy favourites after a 42-21 away demolition of England, but the visitors have voiced belief they can compete.
Ireland Vs Wales: Immediate reactions
“We believe we can compete against Ireland because we think we’re good enough, I don’t think we would be here if we didn’t think that, ” said Dewi Lake, captain, Wales. “We believe that if we play our game and we get our things right, we can beat Ireland. ” Lake spoke after a final session in Dublin in which number eight Aaron Wainwright trained having battled a leg injury during the week.
Andy Farrell, Head Coach, Ireland, highlighted milestones in his squad and the reward for consistent performers: “We have two special milestones in the squad this week at opposite ends of the scrum-half spectrum. I would firstly like to congratulate Nathan on his first international selection. Nathan has been around a few Ireland camps in recent years and has impressed with the consistency and quality of his play in training and with Ulster over a longer period. ” Farrell also noted the occasion of a packed Aviva Stadium and the players’ readiness to perform.
What to watch and what comes next
This ireland vs wales fixture will test whether Ireland can sustain the form that produced a commanding win in London and whether Wales can convert renewed belief into a first Aviva win in the Six Nations era. Pay attention to the half-back interplay with Jamison Gibson-Park earning a milestone cap and to forward collisions where Ireland’s selected front row and engine room will meet Welsh intent in defence and attack. Fitness of key players and the impact of the replacements named on both benches will shape the late stages.
After kick-off at 8: 10 p. m. ET, expect immediate reaction from the camps and scrutiny on the early momentum swings; the outcome will set the tone for the next round of the Championship. The ireland vs wales narrative will pivot on discipline, set-piece stability and whether the visitors can turn belief into a result in Dublin.
Timestamp: 8: 10 p. m. ET on Friday for kick-off and squad announcements as named above.
