Another week of the Six Nations brings Wales another chance to break a now-infamous 14-game losing streak, although leaders Ireland will promise as stern a test as any in the Championship.
Wales will sport their new-look coaching staff for the first time, with Warren Gatland departing after their defeat to Italy, in his place arriving Matt Sherratt.
Will it be enough for Wales to provide what would be the biggest upset of the tournament?
Here is everything you need to know about Saturday’s clash.
Key details:
When: Saturday, Feb. 22 at 2.15 p.m. UK
Where: Principality Stadium, Cardiff
How to watch: You can wach live on the BBC (UK). You can also follow along with live updates on ESPN.
Officials: Referee: Christophe Ridley (Eng)
Assistant Referees: Nika Amashukeli (Geo) & Gianluca Gnecchi (Ita)
Television Match Official: Ian Tempest (Eng)
Lineups:
Wales: To be announced
Replacements:
Ireland: To be announced
Replacements:
Team news:
Wales: The biggest change for Wales will not come on the pitch, rather it will be provided in the coaches’ box. Sherratt takes over from Gatland for the country’s third Test of this year’s Six Nations as they seek to end a losing streak that stretches back to the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
The staffing changes don’t stop there. Former Wales hooker T. Rhys Thomas also joins Sherratt’s team as a skills coach, while Gatland’s assistant coach, Rob Howley, has left.
Sherratt has already taken the decision to recall fly-halves Jarrod Evans and Gareth Anscombe as well as centre Max Llewellyn.
Ireland: Ireland will be without key trio Caelan Doris, Rónan Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong as they continue to recover from their respective injuries.
Captain Doris is suffering from a knee injury and his absence will bring an end to his run of appearing in Ireland’s last 42 Test matches, a sequence that stretches back to the 2021 Six Nations.
Kelleher will be absent due to a neck issue. Furlong missed Ireland’s wins over England and Scotland.
Information from Reuters contributed to the team news of this report.
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