Wales 17-22 Ireland: Joe Schmidt's side respond with Cardiff victory in Warren Gatland's final home game
Wales lose first home game since 2017; sides face each other again in Dublin next Saturday
By Michael Cantillon
Last Updated: 31/08/19 6:11pm
A Jacob Stockdale double and penalty try saw Ireland respond to last week's record defeat to England at Twickenham with an exciting 22-17 success over an experimental Wales in Cardiff.
Joe Schmidt's side headed to the Principality Stadium low on confidence after their 57-15 defeat to Eddie Jones's men, and made 11 changes themselves as a number of new men stood out, including prop Dave Kilcoyne, wing Andrew Conway, full-back Will Addison and out-half Jack Carty.
Wales had made 14 changes to their side which had beaten England 13-6 two weeks ago, but several players failed to impress on the occasion of Warren Gatland's final game in charge in Cardiff.
The home side had to come from 22-3 behind, before late tries from debutant Owen Lane and replacement Rhys Patchell - who has surely won the race with Jarrod Evans to be Dan Biggar's back-up after this display off the bench - got Wales back into things.
There did not prove enough time to turn things around completely, however, with Wales announcing their 31-man World Cup squad for Japan at 2pm on Sunday, while Ireland will likely confirm theirs early next week.
Ireland hit the front on nine minutes through the boot of Carty after a flowing move in midfield off a lineout saw the out-half bring Stockdale into play, and when Wales skipper Josh Navidi slowed the ball down off his feet, referee Romain Poite awarded a penalty which the Connacht 10 dispatched from 40 metres for a 3-0 lead.
Wales levelled matters after 16 minutes when Ireland skipper Peter O'Mahony failed to roll away when trapped on the wrong side of a ruck and out-half Evans struck over from close range.
Three minutes later though, the first try of the Test went the way of the visitors when wing Stockdale finished off a superb move.
Opposite wing Conway proved the chief architect after a scintillating swerving run across the pitch, after a wonderful Addison high take, Kilcoyne break and Carty half step had seen Conway gain possession. The wing consequently produced a pacey run, ignoring centre Chris Farrell before feeding Stockdale to finish in the corner.
Wales should have reduced the gap to four points on 26 minutes but Evans missed a straightforward penalty attempt from just outside the Ireland 22 after Jack Conan was penalised for offside.
As it was, Ireland's Stockdale took full advantage to score the next try two minutes after that Evans miss when the Ulster man showed outstanding pace past Hallam Amos and footballing ability to kick ahead after Aaron Shingler's one-handed offload near halfway had gone to deck.
Into the final minute of the half, Ireland had a golden chance to stretch their lead to three scores when a powerful scrum drive - again with Kilcoyne to the fore - earned a penalty, but Carty struck wide from distance.
Into the second half, Ireland continued to dominate proceedings and forced a sin-binning for Wales tighthead replacement Leon Brown for repeated scrum infringements.
Conway had a try ruled out when Carty's final pass was deduced forward, but Ireland needn't have worried as moments later, referee Poite was under the sticks awarding a penalty try when more close-range Ireland scrums kept powering the reduced Wales pack backwards.
Wales coughed up possession when a driving maul looked certain to romp over for a try - replacement Rory Best defending fantastically - just after the restart, but 21-year-old wing Lane did score soon after on debut.
The Cardiff Blues man was on hand down the right to take a Scott Williams bounce pass after heavy Wales pressure, check inside past Carty and Luke McGrath and finish strongly, giving a flavour of the sort of power and finishing ability he possesses.
Replacement Wales hooker Elliot Dee knocked on over the tryline with 12 minutes left when Ireland replacement scrum-half McGrath did phenomenally to put in a try-saving tackle, and when Ireland won a penalty again from the resultant scrum, Wales' momentum was checked.
Garry Ringrose had another Ireland try ruled out when on review with the TMO, centre Bundee Aki was penalised for taking flanker James Davies out in the air.
Wales replacement Patchell then got a try his impact off the bench deserved when he darted for the line with four minutes left, and converted to leave a five-point difference.
Gatland's side couldn't force another chance though, and will look to get one over on Ireland next week in Dublin in their final pre-World Cup Test before travelling to Japan.